Still undergoing repairs in Cape Town, the future floating dock for the Grand Port Maritime is now expected to arrive in La Réunion by the end of the year. This repair facility for large vessels — capable of handling ships like the Astrolabe — was purchased second-hand in poor condition and could cost up to €24.8 million in total.
The dock proudly displays the European Union flag, thanks to FEDER funding, and the Port Réunion logo, its future home port. In the coming weeks, two technicians from the Grand Port Maritime will test the ballast systems, pumps, and valves before taking delivery of this 120-meter-long unit, currently being repaired in a shipyard in Cape Town, South Africa.
The Titan floating dock, as it is called, is a kind of submersible barge used to lift ships out of the water for repairs. The Titan has been making headlines for years: it’s expected to bring new capabilities to the island, support the development of a local ship repair industry, and reduce the need for local ships to travel elsewhere for maintenance.
Since the dock has no propulsion system, it will need to be towed from Cape Town to La Réunion once its post-repair inspection is complete. The Grand Port Maritime has already selected several transport providers through a call for tenders — their current task is to find the best solution to transport the Titan.
Transport Method Still Undecided
“We hope to award the transport contract in September and see the dock arrive by year’s end, if all goes well,” said Gilles Ham-Chou-Chong, Deputy Director General of the Grand Port.
“But that’s conditional — there will be no opportunity to stop en route, so accurate weather forecasting is critical. With traditional towing, transport is very sensitive to weather, and even Fort-Dauphin port wouldn’t offer shelter from rough seas.”
The preferred solution involves using a semi-submersible vessel, similar to the one used to transport the well-known Zourit barge during construction of the offshore viaduct of La NRL. However, most semi-submersibles are currently busy in China. Port Réunion hopes that one may become available in the region and accept the Titan as return cargo rather than travel empty.
A Long-Delayed Arrival
Though the dock’s arrival was announced — and then delayed — multiple times, mainly due to lengthy compliance upgrades (the second-hand unit had 26 non-conformities at the time of purchase!), the urgency has now decreased.
Before welcoming the Titan, the Grand Port must redevelop Pier 9 of Port Ouest, where the floating dock will be stationed. These works are planned to start in September and should continue until February.
Port Réunion currently lacks a dry dock, meaning it cannot provide dry repair services for large vessels. With the Titan, it will finally be possible to lift the Astrolabe — the 4,000-ton French polar logistics and icebreaking vessel — for repairs. The floating dock idea, proposed in 2017 and supported two years later by Emmanuel Macron, became a necessity as Port Réunion receives over 550 ship calls per year (2024 data) and has no shipyard.
Port Authority Retakes Control of the Facility
Originally, in 2021, the concession to operate the dock was awarded to Dock Réunion, a group of 17 local port companies. However, the Grand Port Maritime chose not to renew the contract and has now taken back control, citing the high level of public investment as incompatible with the limited returns of a concession deal.
A Tool for French Naval Maintenance
An in-depth audit by the Regional Chamber of Accounts (CRC) on a decade of Grand Port Maritime management details how the port ended up spending €24.8 million (including the Pier 9 upgrades) on a used floating dock bought from West Atlantic Shipyard (WAS) — a Nigerian-based company operated by French shipbuilder Piriou.
Currently, the Indian Ocean Naval Shipyard (CNOI), another Piriou structure located in Port Louis, Mauritius, handles the maintenance of French naval frigates based in La Réunion. Regaining civilian and military fleet servicing contracts will be key to making the floating dock economically viable.
“As things stand, there’s no room for error. The balance is fragile, and everyone must commit,” said Gilles Ham-Chou-Chong.
“But we believe in it — politicians and stakeholders alike know this is a strategic industrial project, one that can offer real opportunities for local youth.”
