February 27, 2026
Exciting changes are on the waterfront, complete with tracks and a remote control. Meet Dockboy, our new remote-controlled, ultra-high pressure (UHP) cleaning tool that’s ready to make waves as the first of its kind in Canada. Dockboy provides high-efficiency hull cleaning that removes ocean build up like barnacles, anti-fouling paint, and coatings off in one go, leaving a consistently paint-ready surface.
Dockboy will be a key tool for large ship maintenance projects at Vancouver Drydock and Victoria Shipyards. Fully containerized, the tool will travel between the two shipyards so both yards can utilize its high efficiency cleaning.
While crawlers have some ergonomic and efficiency advantages over blasting, they struggle to stay connected when going over divots or handrail pockets on the side of ships.
“Dockboy is a great engineering control. We’re creating space between the operator and the UHP source. We’re positioning our people more ergonomically, eliminating heavy strain, vibrations and kickback from UHP blasting that really wears on the body,” explains Chris Welsford, Senior Safety Manager, Vancouver Drydock. “It’s also a lot quieter, which is a win for our operators. We’re working closely with the workforce to build out clear, practical SOPs that protect our people while we learn this new equipment.”
Being first in Canada to use this technology, our teams are at the forefront of change in the ship repair industry. Beyond the milestone, Dockboy brings significant investment in our people by upskilling our paint team, and bringing the maintenance of the equipment in-house.
“The purchase of Dockboy marks a significant investment in the future of our commercial ship repair business,” said Barry Kas, Director of Operations at Vancouver Drydock. “We’re upskilling our workforce and bringing the maintenance in-house. We’ve been training and working with the painters and mechanics to develop work procedures. In late 2025, we used Dockboy on our first commercial project, and it was great to see the team in action.”
The investment also marks another major step forward for Vancouver Drydock’s modernization. As one of the most significant technological upgrades in years, Dockboy joins a list of wins from 2025: a third dry dock, the opening of the new Operations Centre, improvements to the guardhouse, and an additional parking lot to accommodate our growing workforce.
By embracing new technology and strengthening our capabilities, we’re setting ourselves apart in the market and giving us a competitive edge to bring in more work to the drydock.