Akcinė bendrovė VAKARŲ LAIVŲ GAMYKLA (Western Shipyard AB)

Akcinė bendrovė VAKARŲ LAIVŲ GAMYKLA (commonly known internationally as Western Shipyard, AB; Lithuanian: Vakarų laivų gamykla, AB) is a Lithuanian shipbuilding and ship repair company based in Klaipėda. It is the core company of the Western Shipyard Group (WSY) and is part of the Estonian industrial holding BLRT Grupp. The company undertakes ship repair, conversions, newbuilding of vessels and large steel structures, as well as engineering, fabrication and port-related services for customers across the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe.

Company Overview

Legal name: Akcinė bendrovė VAKARŲ LAIVŲ GAMYKLA (AB Vakarų laivų gamykla)
Brand/English name: Western Shipyard AB (WSY)
Founded: 1969 (shipyard origins in Klaipėda port); reorganized as a joint-stock company in the early 1990s
Headquarters: Klaipėda, Lithuania
Industry sectors: Shipbuilding, ship repair and conversion, offshore and industrial steel structures, marine engineering, port and logistics support services
Group affiliation: Western Shipyard Group (WSY); majority ownership within BLRT Grupp (Estonia)

Legal Information

Įmonės kodas (Company code): Not publicly confirmed in open sources at the time of writing (see Register of Legal Entities; reference provided below).
PVM mokėtojo kodas (VAT code): Not publicly confirmed in open sources at the time of writing.
Official website: https://www.wsy.lt
General e-mail: info@wsy.lt (as typically listed for Western Shipyard Group contacts)
Registered office address: Minijos g. 180, LT‑93269 Klaipėda, Lithuania
Main telephone (switchboard): Not reliably published in open sources; commonly reported numbers for WSY Group switchboard are not independently verifiable here. Please consult the official website’s Contacts page for the most current phone lines.

Note: Precise company and VAT codes, as well as definitive phone extensions, should be confirmed against the Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities and the company’s official contact page. Where not reliably verifiable in open sources, they are noted as such.

Business Operations

Main products and services:
- Ship repair and conversion (dry-docking, afloat repairs, hull works, blasting/painting, machinery and systems)
- Newbuilding of vessels and hulls (tugs, fishing vessels, specialized and auxiliary craft; hull blocks and sections for large newbuilds)
- Fabrication of offshore and industrial steel structures (including modules, blocks, and components for offshore energy and maritime infrastructure)
- Marine engineering and design (via group engineering companies) and turnkey project management
- Port and logistics support for shipyard operations (lifting, cranage, material handling)

Business model: Project-based EPC and service contracts for shipowners, operators, and OEMs across the Baltic and North Sea basins; turnkey or package solutions combining engineering, fabrication, docking, and testing; diversified workshop and dock capacity allowing parallel projects (repairs, conversions, and fabrication).

Market position: One of the largest and most capable shipbuilding/repair complexes in Lithuania and among leading facilities in the Eastern Baltic. The group’s footprint in the region and integration within BLRT Grupp provides access to multiple docks, workshops, and allied yards in the Baltic States, enabling capacity for large and complex projects.

History

1969: Establishment of the shipyard in Klaipėda during the Soviet period, laying the foundations for large-scale ship repair and hull fabrication on Lithuania’s coast.
Early 1990s: Reorganization as a Lithuanian joint-stock company following the country’s independence and economic reforms; beginnings of modernization and Western market orientation.
2001 onward: Integration into BLRT Grupp (Estonia), enabling capital investments, broader market access, and cross-yard cooperation within the group.
2010s: Further modernization of docks, workshops, and paint/blast facilities; consolidation of group companies in Klaipėda (e.g., dedicated newbuilding and engineering entities under Western Shipyard Group).
2020–2021: Commissioning and arrival of a large new floating dock in Klaipėda, expanding capacity for larger vessels and complex repair/conversion projects.
2022–2024: Increased focus on offshore wind and renewable energy-related steel structures, alongside continuing ship repair and block newbuilding for European yards and operators.

Financial Information

Revenue: Detailed, audited revenue figures for AB Vakarų laivų gamykla are not publicly disclosed in open, English-language sources. Aggregated group-level commentary in Lithuanian business media indicates stable performance driven by ship repair, conversions, and fabrication, but exact annual figures should be taken from the company’s financial statements filed with the Register of Legal Entities.
Funding rounds: Not applicable; the company operates as an established industrial enterprise within a corporate group rather than a venture-funded entity.
Ownership structure: AB Vakarų laivų gamykla is a core company in the Western Shipyard Group, which is part of BLRT Grupp (Estonia). Majority control and strategic oversight are exercised through BLRT Grupp’s holding structure. Specific shareholder percentages should be verified via the Lithuanian Center of Registers.

Leadership and Management

Key executives (vadovai):
- Generalinis direktorius (Chief Executive Officer): Arnoldas Šileika (widely reported in Lithuanian business media and company communications over the past decade).
Note: Executive rosters may change; for the current list of board members and officers (valdyba, administracija), consult the latest filings in the Register of Legal Entities or the official WSY website.

Office and Production Locations

Registered headquarters & primary yard:
Minijos g. 180, LT‑93269 Klaipėda, Lithuania
Telephone: See official website for the most current switchboard and department numbers.
Notes: The Klaipėda complex comprises docks, slipways, workshops, and fabrication halls. Additional functional units within the Western Shipyard Group (e.g., newbuilding, repair, engineering) operate on the same industrial territory.

Market Position and Competitors

Geographic footprint: Core operations in Klaipėda with customers across the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe, including Scandinavia and Germany/Benelux markets.

Competitors (regional):
- Remontowa Shiprepair Yard SA (Poland)
- Other Polish yards in Gdynia/Gdańsk (e.g., Nauta, Damen-related facilities)
- Riga Shipyard and other Latvian/Baltic facilities (various capabilities)
- Finnish and Scandinavian repair yards (e.g., Turku Repair Yard)

Competitive advantages:
- Large floating dock and lifting capacities suitable for medium-to-large vessels
- Integrated engineering, fabrication, and repair under one industrial campus
- Access to BLRT Grupp’s wider infrastructure and supply chain across the Baltic region
- Track record in complex conversions and block fabrication for European newbuilding programs

Recent Developments

Capacity expansion: Introduction of a modern floating dock (circa 2020–2021) increased service capability for larger hulls and multi-project throughput.
Renewables and offshore: Continued focus on offshore wind-related structures and marine infrastructure components in line with Baltic Sea energy transition trends.
Partnerships and contracts: Ongoing collaboration with European shipowners and yards for repair, conversion, and hull block fabrication; specific contract details are typically confidential and announced selectively via press releases.

Contact Information

Company name: Akcinė bendrovė VAKARŲ LAIVŲ GAMYKLA (Western Shipyard AB)
Registered office: Minijos g. 180, LT‑93269 Klaipėda, Lithuania
Website: https://www.wsy.lt
E-mail: info@wsy.lt
Phone: Please refer to the WSY website’s Contacts page for current switchboard and departmental numbers.

Important: For legal identifiers (Įmonės kodas and PVM kodas), current officers, and statutory contact details, consult the Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities and the company’s official website, as these can change and are authoritative.

Sources and References

- Western Shipyard Group (official website): https://www.wsy.lt (Company profile, services, and contacts)
- BLRT Grupp (official site): https://www.blrt.ee (Group ownership and structure)
- Rekvizitai (Lithuanian business directory entry for “AB Vakarų laivų gamykla”): https://rekvizitai.vz.lt (Company registration data and contacts; verify most recent snapshot)
- Lithuanian Register of Legal Entities (Juridinių asmenų registras): https://www.registrucentras.lt (Authoritative legal IDs, board/executive filings, and financial statements)
- Lithuanian business media (e.g., Verslo žinios, Delfi Verslas) for leadership mentions and yard capacity news (various articles, 2010–2024)

Note: Where precise numbers (e.g., Įmonės kodas, PVM kodas, phone extensions, revenue) are not shown, they were not verifiable in open sources accessible at the time of writing; readers should consult the cited authoritative sources for the latest official data.