On June 9, 2026, the vessel “Mediterranean Antonella” successfully completed all its dry-docking repairs and departed the shipyard. The overhaul of this large container ship was not only a formidable technical challenge but also a comprehensive showcase of managerial innovation and team collaboration.

The project is vast, with the four major divisions working in concert.

The current dry-docking of the vessel “Mediterranean Antonella” encompasses four major areas—hull, mechanical and electrical systems, painting, and outfitting—characterized by a substantial scope of work, extensive interdisciplinary integration, and stringent technical requirements. In terms of replacement and refurbishment, the project has completed the installation of a new 220‑ton bulbous bow and windscreen, the replacement of a 90‑ton propeller along with inspection and maintenance of the rudder stock, the disassembly and overhaul of the electronic fuel‑injection main engine system, and the inspection and repair of over one hundred pumps and motors. On the painting and steel‑structure fronts, the work included applying an organic‑silicone coating to the outer plating, performing water‑jet derusting and steel‑patching on 65 hatch covers and all cargo‑hold areas below 2 meters in height, as well as carrying out numerous outfitting restoration tasks.

Core works within the dock are being carried out concurrently, breaking with conventional practices.

Replacing the bulbous bow, the propeller, and the rudder trunk; installing a flow‑guide fairing; renewing the outer plating; and applying a silicone coating—these six critical dock‑side tasks, under conventional methods, would have to be carried out in separate phases, resulting in long lead times, significant coordination challenges, and a high risk of triggering additional dry‑dock periods. The single‑vessel management team, however, adopted a bold innovation by implementing a “pre‑positioning of Dock No. 2” approach, enabling all six operations to commence simultaneously.

Innovation is never a smooth journey. Upon arrival of the newly fabricated bulbous bow, it was discovered that there was an 80–100 mm discrepancy compared to the original vessel’s structure. This necessitated extremely high precision in on‑site alignment, welding, and assembly—any slight oversight could have rendered all previous efforts futile. The single‑vessel management team promptly collaborated with the Technical Department and the hull fabrication workshop to conduct repeated calculations and develop a multi‑point, incremental positioning strategy. Ultimately, they successfully resolved the deviation, achieving a flawless first‑time assembly.

Tackling tough challenges and advancing in parallel on both fronts.

During construction, continuous rainfall disrupted critical processes such as welding and coating. Coupled with the concurrent execution of multi-disciplinary, three-dimensional, overlapping operations, both safety management and schedule control faced intense pressure. The single‑vessel management project team promptly activated its emergency response plan, erected rain shelters, and adjusted work shifts to make the most of every available window and accelerate progress. At the same time, in close collaboration with the Technical Department, the Safety and Environmental Protection Department, and all production workshops, they convened daily on-site coordination meetings to assign specific responsibilities, meticulously break down daily work volumes, and ensure rigorous dual oversight of safety and schedule.

Outstanding achievements, with both schedule and performance delivering exceptional results.

The final results are encouraging: the dock‑in cycle has been shortened by 10 days compared with similar projects last year, and the overall repair period has been reduced by an equivalent 10 days, completely eliminating the need for a second dry‑dock stay. This not only achieves the management objective of improving dock efficiency but also saves the shipowner valuable time.

Accumulate steadily, and the future will be promising.

This project not only enabled the company to accumulate valuable experience in the repair of ultra‑large container vessels, but also overcame industry‑specific challenges such as assembly deviations in large‑tonnage bulbous bows and the coordination of multi‑disciplinary concurrent construction. Moreover, it has established a replicable and scalable construction management framework, laying a solid technical and managerial foundation for undertaking similar vessel‑repair projects in the future.

The successful departure of the vessel “Mediterranean Antonella” once again demonstrates the company’s robust capabilities in undertaking the repair and overhaul of ultra‑large, highly complex ships. Moving forward, the company will remain customer‑centric and innovation‑driven, forging ahead in the ship repair and conversion sector.