PILODA SHIPYARD UNVEILS “DONN’ANNA” A 143M FLOATING DOCK: A STRATEGIC LEAP FOR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
A strategic infrastructure for public, private and commercial shipowners across the Mediterranean also designed to meet the growing demands of the military sector, which is expanding significantly following new major contracts in naval defense. With the commissioning of the “Donn’Anna” floating dock, Piloda Shipyard takes a decisive step toward transforming the Port of Naples into a strategic hub for the refit of vessels between 130 and 143 meters a segment previously underserved in the Mediterranean. Measuring 143 meters in length, 30 meters in width, and with a lifting capacity of up to 6,000 tons, the new dock marks a major infrastructure upgrade for the entire Italian shipyard industry.
“Donn’Anna” has been engineered to deliver maximum operational autonomy, high technical performance, and reduced environmental impact. Key features include Independent onboard systems: Two rail-mounted cranes (5 tons each), six capstans (5 tons), two 320 kW generators, compressed air and fully autonomous electrical and lighting systems, as well as integrated tanks for collecting bilge and hull-wash water. Integrated digital system: Proprietary software for real-time management of docking plans and ballast, enabling simultaneous operations under safe conditions, minimizing vessel downtime, and optimizing operational costs. Advanced environmental management: An internal, autonomous system capable of containing and discharging up to 50,000 liters of bilge water, eliminating the need for external barges and significantly reducing the environmental footprint.
With these features, the Donn’Anna dock aligns with the highest international standards and positions Naples as a key hub for medium-to-large vessel maintenance in the Mediterranean. A high-precision marine transport operation the dock arrived in Naples from Turkey following a 1,000-nautical-mile journey managed by Cafimar and its subsidiary Somat, leaders in technical marine towing.
“Towing a 143-meter, 6,000-ton structure is a highly complex and specialized task. The dock was transported in dry tow mode with millimetric ballast distribution in longitudinal tanks, maintaining trim and stability within sub-centimeter tolerances. The crossing, conducted at a controlled speed of 5 knots, involved constant weather monitoring, active pump management, and structural reinforcement systems. A true team effort that reflects Cafimar’s decades of experience in complex maritime operations,” said Gian Paolo Russo, CEO of Cafimar Group.
