The facilities of ASTICAN at the Port of Las Palmas are presently engaged in an intensive programme of dry dock activity, with 5 high-end cruise and expedition vessels undergoing simultaneous repair, maintenance, and technical modification.
Among the ships alongside are the expedition units L'Austral and Le Boréal, both operated by Ponant and recently deployed in polar regions, together with the 3-masted sailing vessel Sea Cloud Spirit, the expedition ship Ocean Explorer of Quark Expeditions, and the ice-class megayacht Hanse Explorer.
In addition to standard overhaul procedures, a technically demanding operation is being carried out on the two Ponant vessels, involving the removal and replacement of their bow bulbs. This work, undertaken for the first time within the Canary Islands, introduces newly designed hydrodynamic structures intended to improve fuel efficiency and reduce associated emissions.
The president of the Port Authority of Las Palmas indicated that the concurrent presence of multiple luxury vessels reflected the port’s growing specialization in complex ship repair. It was further conveyed that such projects required a high degree of technical capability and precision, and that the successful execution of bow bulb fabrication and installation locally demonstrated the accumulated expertise of the port’s industrial base and the confidence placed in it by shipowners.
Bow bulbs, positioned below the waterline at the forward section of a vessel, are engineered to modify water flow and reduce hydrodynamic resistance. Their redesign must be tailored to a ship’s operational profile, and installation necessitates the removal of existing structures and the integration of new components, a process requiring advanced engineering and fabrication skills.
The ongoing works form part of a broader pattern in which the ASTICAN group has expanded its role in specialized retrofitting, having completed multiple similar interventions across its facilities. The current concentration of vessels in Las Palmas further consolidates the port’s position as a principal Atlantic hub for high-specification repair projects across both the offshore and luxury passenger sectors.
Port authorities indicated that initiatives combining technical innovation with environmental considerations were central to their long-term strategy, aimed at reinforcing international competitiveness while advancing operational efficiency and sustainability.