2025–26 Season Review: Growth, Capability, and Milestones Across the IMM Network
As the 2025–26 Caribbean season has come to a close, one theme stands out across the IMM network: growth through capability.
Over the past year, IMM teams in Guadeloupe, Sint Maarten, and Puerto Rico have delivered a wide range of projects spanning commercial vessels, ferries, sailing yachts, and motor yachts. While each project came with its own technical challenges, the season was ultimately defined by something larger, the continued investment in people, infrastructure, and expertise that is expanding what can be achieved across the Caribbean.
From supporting a variety of vessesl in Guadeloupe to launching large-scale dry-dock operations in Puerto Rico and building momentum at the newly established IMM SXM shipyard, the year has strengthened IMM‘s ability to support increasingly complex marine projects throughout the region.
IMM Guadeloupe: Supporting the Caribbean’s Fleet – from yachts to passenger ships
At IMM Guadeloupe, the season showcased the yard’s versatility, with projects ranging from technical yacht refits and sailing yacht rigging works to major commercial ferry class surveys.
One of the season’s standout projects involved the motor yacht Eau La La. During haul-out, the team uncovered an unexpected challenge: a missing four-meter stabilizer fin. Rather than delaying the vessel’s schedule, IMM’s composite specialists designed, fabricated, and quickly installed a replacement.
“Leveraging our responsiveness and composite expertise, we designed, laminated, and installed a replacement fin within days, allowing the vessel to regain full operational capability without requiring an additional dry-docking,” explains Site Director Arnaud Rambaud.
The yard also completed extensive rigging works on a 24-meter sailing yacht, including mast and boom removal, structural inspections, and complete standing rigging replacement. By carrying out cold pressing of ROD terminations in-house, the team maintained full quality control throughout the project while minimizing turnaround time.
Among the largest commercial projects were the mandatory five-year class surveys of the 47-meter FRS Express ferries Corail and Perle. The surveys required extensive planning, structural repairs, and custom-engineered docking solutions to safely support the vessels while providing access to critical sections of the hull.
“Our quay and floating dock welcomed Corail and Perle for their mandatory five-year class surveys,” says Rambaud. “These projects demonstrated IMM Guadeloupe’s ability to engineer tailor-made docking plans and support solutions, enabling the opening of an eight-meter section of the hull while maintaining the highest safety and quality standards.”
The scope included nearly one hundred welded inserts and structural spot repairs, complete valve overhauls, hull cleaning, and coating works over a continuous two-and-a-half-month schedule. All welding was carried out by IMM Guadeloupe’s team of class-certified welders and verified through non-destructive testing (NDT), ensuring every repair met stringent classification society requirements.
Alongside project delivery, IMM Guadeloupe continued investing in new technologies and equipment, including advanced welding systems, laser technology, 3D scanning capabilities, and improved overspray containment solutions.
Looking back on the season, Rambaud sees a clear trend.
“Every project completed this year has been a step forward—strengthening our team’s expertise and confirming our ability to operate to the highest standards across both the commercial maritime and yachting sectors.”
IMM SXM: A Strong Start and Growing Demand
For IMM SXM, the 2025–26 season saw the IMM team supporting a steady flow of maintenance, repair, fabrication, and technical refit projects. and also market the start of IMM’s shipyard operations in Sint Maarten having taken over the yard on the 1st of January. Taking over the yard on January 1, the first months of the year showe.
Scheduled works were frequently combined with urgent operational requests, requiring flexibility, rapid response, and close coordination with owners, captains, and yacht managers.
According to Project Manager Dominique Delafoy, the level of activity reflects both the growing demand for technical services in the region, and the confidence clients are placing in IMM.
“The 2025/2026 season was more intense than last winter’s season, bringing more vessels with complex technical problems to solve in short time frames. But the IMM team was able to maintain high standards and deliver results.”
One project that captured the pace of the season took place ahead of the St. Barths Bucket regatta. Working against strict race deadlines, the IMM SXM team supported the preparation of a 65-meter Royal Huisman sailing yacht.
The work scope included custom stainless-steel rigging fabrication, high-load pulley repairs using hydraulic press, and the manufacture and installation of several critical rigging components. The entire project was completed within five days, ensuring the yacht was ready for competition.
For Delafoy, the project highlights the growing importance of local technical capability throughout the Caribbean: “Projects like these demonstrate the importance of having technical expertise, fabrication capability, and rapid response available locally. .”
IMM SXM’s presence, expertise and reactivity is contributing significantly to Sint Maarten’s strengthening position as a technical and logistical hub for the Northeast Caribbean.
IMM Puerto Rico: Bringing Dry-Dock Capability Back to San Juan
In Puerto Rico, the season was defined by major infrastructure progress and the continued development of what is becoming the Caribbean’s most capable ship repair facilities.
Throughout the year, IMM Puerto Rico remained fully operational while simultaneously advancing significant upgrades to its Graving Dock facility. Key infrastructure improvements included the installation of main dewatering pumps, sump pump systems, and a new electrical substation.
According to Civil Engineer José Lopez, these investments are transforming the facility’s capabilities.
“The 2025–26 season was a milestone one for IMM Puerto Rico. Throughout the season, we remained fully operational at our San Juan shipyard, successfully carrying out vessel repairs and maintenance utilizing both our Floating Dock and shoreside berths.”
One of the year's most significant achievements was the successful haul-out of the damaged barge Defiant.
"This marked the first operational use of the Graving Dock in San Juan in over twenty years," Lopez says. "It demonstrated that Gravity by IMM is ready to support the local and regional maritime industry with dry-docking capabilities for vessels of virtually any size and scope."
he operation represented more than a single project. It confirmed the return of large-scale dry-docking capability to the facility and re-established San Juan as an important service location for the regional maritime industry.
The yard also completed a major three-month repair and dry-dock program for an 80-meter motor vessel. The project included mechanical overhauls, steel and fabrication works, electrical repairs, coatings, repainting, and multiple vessel upgrades.
“The project strengthened our relationship with the vessel’s owners and demonstrated that Gravity by IMM can be relied upon as a trusted shipyard partner in the Caribbean,” says Lopez.
Just as importantly, the project provided valuable experience for the local workforce.
“It allowed our team members to further develop their technical skills and gain additional exposure to world-class vessel standards.”
Looking Ahead
Across Guadeloupe, Sint Maarten, and Puerto Rico, the season demonstrated how deliberate growth, technical expertise, and local capability translate into operational excellence.
Whether supporting ferry operators, delivering complex yacht refits, responding to urgent technical challenges, or reactivating major dry-dock infrastructure, IMM teams continued to expand their expertise while creating skilled employment opportunities and strengthening the local communities they serve. Together, these efforts reinforce IMM’s commitment to delivering world-class technical services across the Caribbean.
With enhanced technical capabilities in Guadeloupe, a strong season in Sint Maarten, and newly activated dry-dock infrastructure in Puerto Rico, the IMM network enters the off-season focused on continued growth, strengthening its teams, expanding its technical capabilities, and further developing its international footprint.
Better positioned than ever, IMM is preparing to meet the evolving needs of the Caribbean marine industry and beyond in the seasons ahead.
Dominique Delafoy: Project Manager, IMM
Dominique Delafoy: Project Manager at IMM
Project management at IMM is built on technical decisions, not assumptions.
With more than three decades of experience in yacht new builds and complex refit environments, Dominique Delafoy brings deep technical and operational expertise to IMM. His career spans shipyards across Italy, Turkey, Latvia, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, and the United States, covering everything from high-end refits and new builds to shipyard development and operational setup.
One of his most formative experiences was helping establish a shipyard in North Carolina, where his role went far beyond project management. He was directly involved in recruiting teams, structuring operations, and training technicians in advanced composite processes.
“I’ve always been involved in more than just project management. Building teams and shipyard capability is just as critical as managing the project itself.”
Joining IMM and working across the Caribbean
Dominique joined IMM in November 2024 and is now based between Puerto Rico and Sint Maarten, supporting multiple active refit and maintenance projects across the region.
His role combines senior project management with hands-on technical oversight and team leadership across sites, ensuring continuity and alignment between operations.
“IMM felt like a natural fit. The structure is very hands-on, and decisions are made close to the operation, where they should be.”
A role driven by technical decisions and coordination
At IMM, project management is not limited to scheduling and coordination. Dominique’s daily work involves technical troubleshooting, repair strategy development, subcontractor management, and direct communication with yacht owners, captains, and onboard teams.
He also supports and guides other project managers while managing his own portfolio of complex projects.
“Every day is different. You’re constantly switching between technical analysis, planning, and real-time problem solving.”
A recent example highlights the intensity of this work: ahead of the St. Barths Bucket, Dominique was involved in the fast-track preparation of a 65-meter Royal Huisman sailing yacht. The scope included fabrication of custom stainless steel rigging components, high-load pulley repairs using hydraulic press processes, and multiple critical rigging parts, all delivered within five days under strict race deadlines.
The reality of refits in the Caribbean
Working in island environments adds a layer of operational complexity that differs significantly from traditional shipyards. Logistics, shipping delays, and customs processes require precise planning and constant adaptability.
At the same time, modern yachts integrate highly complex systems where mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and digital components are deeply interconnected.
“The biggest challenge is not just fixing the problem, it’s diagnosing it correctly when everything is interconnected and time is limited.”
Electrical and hydraulic systems remain among the most common technical challenges encountered on arriving yachts, particularly in high-usage or long-voyage vessels.
To manage uncertainty in supply chains, Dominique builds buffers into planning from the outset.
“I always work with a conservative delivery timeline. Everyone onboard understands the realities of sourcing parts in the islands, delays in shipping or customs clearance are part of the equation.”
What makes IMM different
Unlike traditional shipyards, IMM operates as a project management-led organisation with integrated operational capabilities across multiple Caribbean locations.
This structure enables mobility, flexibility, and direct control over execution, allowing decisions to be made close to the work rather than through layered processes.
“IMM is built around project management first. That changes everything, especially how quickly decisions can be made and executed.”
Technical judgement comes from real experience
For Dominique, technical competence in yachting is not theoretical — it is built through exposure to real systems under real operational load.
He strongly believes that time onboard is essential for understanding how yachts truly function.
“You only really understand yacht systems when you see them working at sea, not in a dock.”
Advice for the next generation
For those entering the marine industry, his advice is direct: prioritize experience onboard.
“Spend time at sea. That experience will shape how you understand every decision you make later in your career.”