All four dry docks at a historic North East shipyard have been occupied at the same time for the first time since the 1980s.
The milestone was reached at the former Smith’s Dockyard on Teesside, now run by UK Docks Marine Services, and marks a turning point for ship repair on the River Tees.
Harry Wilson MBE, founder and executive chairman of UK Docks, said: "I know how big a name Smith’s Dockyard was for a lot of people in Middlesbrough – different generations worked there across almost the whole of the 20th century – and I hope they’re delighted to see the site thriving again under one owner.
"We’ve always believed in the UK’s marine industry, and while others were closing down yards over the years, we were seeking to reopen them and develop them further.
"UK Docks has put so much time and effort into our Tees operation, and I want to thank all those involved who have proved that there’s a demand and capacity for a major ship repair and maintenance facility on the Tees."
The milestone follows a 12-year effort that began in 2014, when UK Docks leased and revived two dry docks at the site.
Last year, the company secured a long-term lease from PD Ports on the neighbouring shipyard, adding two dry docks, repair quays, engineering workshops and extensive laydown areas.
All four docks have been refurbished and reopened.
UK Docks Teesside with all four docks working on vessels. (Image: Supplied)
The 2025 expansion brought the former Smith’s Dockyard under a single operator for the first time since it closed in 1987.
This week, the docks held the offshore vessel Atlantic Guardian, Tees tug Svitzer Alma, suction dredger City of London and former Royal Navy ship HMS Enterprise.
A survey vessel and a patrol vessel were also being repaired alongside at the yard’s East and West Quays.
UK Docks MD, Jonathan Wilson - We see a lot of potential and possibilities in the site (Image: Supplied)
The milestone opens a new chapter for the Wilson family, which founded UK Docks in South Shields in 1992 and has since expanded to Cremyll, Gosport and Teesside.
Jonathan Wilson, managing director and one of Harry’s sons, said: "It’s great that we’ve had the shipyard fully operational across four dry docks this week, but we want that to become the norm, rather than the exception.
"It’s one thing to restore and refurbish a shipyard, but it’s another to make sure it has full order books and sufficient work for the workforce and the contractors and sub-contractors in the supply chain who also benefit from the business we generate.
"We want to get the message out there, far and wide, that we have four dry docks, heavy lift quay space and highly skilled staff, fully operational for defence or commercial ships from the UK and international clients."
UK Docks’ first two dry docks measure 137 metres by 18.6 metres (No. 4 Dock) and 167 metres by 20.5 metres (No. 3 Dock) after extensive cleaning and refurbishment.
The docks include a fully equipped repair berth, cranes, workshops and storage facilities.
The two additional docks measure 175 metres by 22.5 metres and 120 metres by 17.5 metres respectively.
The expanded yard also offers lay-by berths and 200 metres of extra quay space, while the company renovates workshops, repairs machinery and improves the site.
Last year’s expansion trebled UK Docks’ Teesside footprint from five acres to 16.5 acres and strengthened its position as the country’s largest independent family-owned ship repair and maintenance company.
Jonathan said: "It’s a new facility in a way, thanks to a multi-million-pound investment into the facility, workshops, craneage, and operating equipment and because we’ve extended our services, our capacity, and our infrastructure, to create a sizeable and fully-modernised yard.
"I’d like to congratulate everyone at UK Docks for the efforts they have put in over the last 18 months, as well as all those outside companies that have worked with us to make this happen."
The company aims to make Teesside a leading national and international centre for ship repair and maintenance.
Jonathan said: "We see a lot of potential and possibilities in the site and have a five-year plan to maximise it as an asset.
"We are a service centre supporting that huge and growing industry all across the North Sea and beyond, hopefully bringing business to the yard for many years to come.
"Having four docks will allow us to look for new opportunities and expand on our existing services and facilities.
"As well as hoping to attract new customers, the new docks will benefit our existing customers because there are times we have to schedule with two docks and having four docks means there will be additional dry dock space for customers when needed.
"It will make our operation more efficient, increase our workforce and enable us to increase our market."
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The site is expected to handle equal amounts of commercial and defence work.
Royal Navy contracts have become a major part of UK Docks’ business, with recent Teesside visitors including HMS Protector, former HMS Enterprise, HMS Echo and HMS Forth.
The expanded site is expected to strengthen bids for future defence contracts and support commercial growth in the North Sea.