Can you inspect, maintain or modernize an existing shiplift we already have?

Yes — as Pearlson's agent in Egypt we can arrange field inspections, NDT and modernization through Pearlson field engineering, subject to IP authorization where a design belongs to another rights holder. See that section of this page for details.

Why is a wire-rope shiplift considered safe?

The platform is driven by multiple electric wire-rope hoists that run in perfect synchronization regardless of load distribution, and the platform is raised and lowered under direct control of the operator — the same design stands behind nearly seven decades of Pearlson shiplift operations.

Why should I buy through Global ShipYard Solution instead of contacting Pearlson directly?

You get the full Pearlson engineering and US-made hardware — plus a local partner who speaks your language and your procurement rules, handles import, logistics, customs, installation support, warranty claims and training.

Why Choose Pearlson Shiplift? | Global ShipYard Solution

1957

It starts with the inventor. Raymond Pearlson designed, patented, and built the world's first shiplift in 1957 — a system that lifted its own weight on wire ropes before it ever lifted a ship. Nearly seven decades later, that same engineering lineage is carried by his family and the engineers they trained. You are not buying "a shiplift." You are buying the original, from the descendants and team of the man who created it.

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The Inventor's Legacy

Founded in 1957 by Raymond Pearlson, the family name has stayed with the technology ever since. Today's team is led by the founder's family and fellow engineers raised on the original drawings — nearly seven decades of knowledge passing directly through the company, not diluted across conglomerates.

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Building the Largest Shiplifts on Earth

Pearlson is behind all four of the world's largest shiplifts — including a 25,000-ton system for BAE Systems in Jacksonville, an 18,000-ton system for Austal USA, and Australia's largest for ASC/Austal — lifting more per platform than any competitor has ever built.

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Proven by the Toughest Clients

280+ installations across 70+ countries. BAE Systems, Austal USA, the US Navy and coast guards worldwide, MB92 mega-yacht refits, and the Korean Coast Guard all run on Pearlson systems. References are published and auditable — not abstract claims.

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Engineered & Manufactured in the USA

Hoist machinery, synchronous motor-brake assemblies, wire-rope systems, and controls are designed and manufactured in the USA under Lloyd's Register certified design and quality systems — with export-grade precision for every market, including Egypt.

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Safety Engineered In

Electric wire-rope hoists work in perfect synchronization regardless of load distribution, with continuous load monitoring. The entire platform moves as one — the same safety architecture that has protected crews and hulls for nearly seven decades.

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Total Lifecycle Support

From annual inspection visits and wire-rope NDT to dockmaster certification and modernization to VFD/PLC controls — Pearlson supports every system it builds for the life of the vessel yard, delivered locally by us as their official agent in Egypt.

Aerial view of the Pearlson shiplift and land-level repair complex at BAE Systems Ship Repair in Jacksonville, Florida — The evidence behind the record: Pearlson's 25,000-ton shiplift facility for BAE Systems in Jacksonville — the largest shiplift ever built. Photo: Pearlson Shiplift Corporation.

Pearlson Shiplift Corporation — by the numbers

280+

Shiplift Installations Worldwide

70+

Countries Served

65+

Years of Unbroken Legacy

4

Largest Shiplifts on Earth Built by Pearlson

Perspective

Shiplift vs. Traditional Drydocking Methods

Every drydocking method has a place. This is where the shiplift fits — and where Pearlson systems stand apart.

Consideration	Pearlson Shiplift	Floating Drydock	Graving Dock	Slipway
Drydocking speed	Fast — platform rise in minutes	Fast	Slow — hours to flood/fill	Slow — hauling + cradle
Throughput	High — transfer to multiple work berths at once	Limited — few berths	Limited — one vessel at a time	Limited — one vessel at a time
Hull access	Full — vessel staged on land	Full	Full	Partial
Water depth needed	Moderate — shallow drafts work	Deep — needs draft for flotation	Deep	Shallow
Recurring cost	Low — land-based electric systems	High — pumps, corrosion, towing	Very high — civil works	Medium
Greenfield footprint	Small — locks into existing shoreline	Large	Very large — excavation	Small
Best suited for	Repair/refit yards, naval bases, busy harbors, mega-yacht centers	Open-water seasonal yards	Newbuild series, heavy industry	Small & shallow yards

General guidance based on long-standing industry practice. Final selection and capacity always confirmed by Pearlson engineering for your specific yard and fleet.

Want the full cost picture?

Read how the choice of drydocking method drives your yard’s operating expenses — energy, maintenance, staffing, throughput and payback — in our dedicated OPEX guide.

How Your Choice of Shiplift Affects OPEX

Why Pearlson — in one sentence

Because Pearlson is the only company in the world devoted exclusively to shiplift and transfer systems — the team that invented the technology, is building the four largest shiplifts on Earth, and supports every one of its 280+ installations for life.

The only company worldwide devoted 100% to shiplift technology
Family-led, founder-to-today engineering continuity since 1957
All four of the world's largest shiplifts are Pearlson builds
Designed & manufactured in the USA with Lloyd's Register certified systems
280+ installations in 70+ countries — references you can audit
Full lifecycle support, dockmaster training & modernization
Genuine OEM spare parts, wire-rope systems & hoists
Official agent support across Egypt through Global ShipYard Solution

Talk to an Engineer — Not a Sales Team Request References WhatsApp an Engineer

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions shipyard owners ask us most — answered straight, no sales fluff. If yours isn't here, ask our engineers directly.

A shiplift is a platform that rises vertically on synchronized wire-rope hoists, lifts a vessel out of the water in minutes, then transfers it sideways onto land for work — freeing the platform for the next vessel. A floating drydock is a big U-shaped pontoon that sinks in deep water and floats back up with the ship. A graving dock is a fixed concrete basin you flood and drain. Each has its place; see how they compare on cost in our OPEX guide.

Mostly through energy, maintenance, staffing and throughput. Graving and floating docks pump huge volumes of water and fight underwater corrosion all year; slipways need dedicated hauling crews. A shiplift is land-based and electric: no pumping, less corrosion exposure, faster docking cycles, and multiple vessels staged in work berths simultaneously. The result is usually a materially lower cost per vessel, per year. Read the full breakdown.

Yes. Pearlson is building all four of the largest shiplifts ever ordered: 25,000 tons for BAE Systems in Jacksonville, 18,000 tons for Austal USA in Mobile, plus the largest shiplift in the Southern Hemisphere in Adelaide. These figures are public and widely referenced in the maritime trade press. We publish every reference and invite full due diligence — see the standards, approvals & evidence page.

Yes — as Pearlson's official agent in Egypt we handle procurement of genuine OEM parts (hoist machinery, wire-rope assemblies, motor-brake systems) manufactured in the USA for Pearlson-engineered systems. For installation designs owned by other parties, we can only supply with the rights holder's authorization, and we will tell you plainly who that is.

Yes. Pearlson field engineering provides annual inspection visits, wire-rope non-destructive testing (NDT), dockmaster training and certification, and modernization (VFD/PLC control upgrades, capacity retrofits). Through our agency we coordinate these services locally — including for systems originally built by other technology lines, subject to IP authorization where applicable. See the full maintenance & dockmaster certification guide.

The platform is driven by multiple electric wire-rope hoists that run in perfect synchronization regardless of load distribution — the whole platform moves as one. A load-monitoring system tells the dockmaster exactly where every tonne sits before the vessel moves. This is the same safety architecture that has protected crews and hulls for nearly seven decades.

You get the full Pearlson engineering and US-made hardware — plus a local partner who speaks your language and your procurement rules: Arabic-speaking engineers, quotation and tender support, import and logistics coordination, on-the-ground coordination with Pearlson's specialists, and after-sales support inside Egypt. Same technology, local accountability.

It depends entirely on your yard — vessel fleet, lift capacity required, footprint, transfer layout and local conditions. There is no honest one-line answer. Tell us about your fleet and we'll have Pearlson engineering prepare a tailored feasibility assessment and quotation. Send us your requirements.

Why Choose Pearlson?