West Sea Plans €24M Drydock Expansion for 2028

West Sea’s planned third drydock at Viana do Castelo, Portugal, is not expected to be completed until 2028, according to the city council, as the shipyard handles cruise construction, conversion work and naval orders. The expansion’s estimated cost has risen to roughly €24 million from about €4 million when it was proposed in 2020.

The 220-by-45-meter dock would allow West Sea to pursue larger cruise and commercial projects than its existing facilities can accommodate. The yard’s current vessel-handling limits are approximately 190 meters in length and 29 meters in beam.

The shipyard attributes the delay to an environmental impact study. Viana do Castelo’s city council approved tax incentives for the project in February 2025.

“West Sea’s approach is to maintain the ultimate flexibility to respond to whatever the customer needs and market demands,” said West Sea board member Vitor Figueiredo.

Windstar work spans construction and conversion

The yard delivered Star Seeker to Windstar Cruises in December 2025 and is converting the 224-passenger World Explorer into Star Explorer for a December 2026 service debut. The latter project removes the vessel’s expedition features as part of an extensive luxury refit.

Figueiredo said the two projects require “much detailed planning, lots of close collaboration with both owners and the suppliers, and then rigorous project execution from our side.”

Built in 2019, the ship was acquired from Mystic Cruises through a transaction announced in early 2024. Mystic Cruises CEO Mario Ferreira said earlier this year that the work includes additional staterooms, modifications to public spaces and technical changes. The completed ship will offer all-suite accommodation.

A Windstar team recently inspected progress at the yard, including Captain Matthew Holloway and Staff Captain Matthew Mullins. Both will serve on the vessel’s inaugural team, and the visit gave them their first opportunity to see the ship.

Star Explorer’s maiden sailing will be a nine-night Western Mediterranean voyage departing roundtrip from Barcelona. Windstar plans to operate the ship year-round in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

Japanese newbuild and naval contracts extend the workload

West Sea is also building Sefu, a 10,000-ton yacht-style cruise vessel for Japan’s R Yacht. The customer was established in January 2024 as a cruise-business subsidiary of Ryobi Holdings, and the ship is scheduled for completion and launch in 2027.

Parent company Martifer Group took over the former state-owned ENVC yard in 2014 following ENVC’s liquidation. “Since West Sea assumed operations at the former ENVC facilities in 2014, the yard has now developed experience across a huge range of vessel types,” Figueiredo said.

The Portuguese Navy has six ocean patrol vessels on order at the yard. Porto is expected in 2027, while later ships include Aveiro, due in 2028.