In the 20th century were several floating dry docks built by Dutch shipyards destined to be used abroad. A fine example is the dock built for Valparaiso at Rotterdam and which was towed to her destination by Dutch sea going tugs in 1924. I used several Dutch newspapers to trace more information and found in the meantime an interesting site dealing with this subject. According to this site the dock was sunk due to a storm 22 May 1940 but salvaged and served until 5 March 1980.The url of this website is www.diquesdevalparaiso.jimdo.com.
The newspaper Het Vaderland: staat- en letterkundig nieuwsblad dated 14 June 1923 evening edition. The N.V. Burgerhout’s Machinefabriek en Scheepswerf at Rotterdam signed a contract with a Chilean company to built a dry dock for Chile.
The newspaper Het Vaderland: staat- en letterkundig nieuwsblad dated 1 April 1924. At the slipways of Burgerhout’s Machinefabriek en Scheepswerf at Rotterdam, was wit success a dry dock of 4.500 capacity launched for account of the Sociedad Astilleros de Las Habas at Valparaiso, Chile, The dock was sponsored by Mrs. A. Sijthoff-Burgerhout. The dock of the so-called box dock design is all of one piece and complete ready to use launched. After being prepared for the sea voyage she will be through the Panama channel be towed to Valparaiso where she at the roads will be anchored and taken into service.
The newspaper Het Vaderland: staat- en letterkundig nieuwsblad dated 5 May 1924 evening edition. Last Sunday passed the new dock of 4.500 tons the bridges across the Maas at Rotterdam. In the morning towed 6 tugs of P. Smit jr. 10.20 o’clock the dock out of the small port of Burgerhout towards the Maas. Underway begun men while pumping filling the tanks with water to lower the dock to be able to pass the Willemsbrug. [Willemsbridge] Despite this caution was the dock temporarily grounded but with using the pumps to empty the tanks the dock raised and came free. She was towed to the Waalhaven to be completed and it was expected that she could depart for Chile within 15 days.
The newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 17 May 1924. Rotterdam, 17 May. The Dutch ocean going tugs Jacob van Heemskerck and the Groningen passed last night Beachy Head while towing the Valparaiso dock underway from Rotterdam towards Valparaiso dock. Everything was well on board.
The newspaper Voorwaarts: sociaal democratisch dagblad dated 4 July 1927. Rotterdam, 4 July. The tugs and dock departed 1 July Barbados.
The newspaper Voorwaarts: sociaal democratisch dagblad dated 14 August 1924. London, 13 August. The tugs and dock left Callao 8 August but were forced by the bad weather to return. There was none damaged reported.
The newspaper Voorwaarts: sociaal democratisch dagblad dated 10 September 1924. Valparaiso, 7 September. The tugs arrived with the slightly damaged dock 5 September at Valparaiso. Repair costs estimated 500 pound.
The newspaper Voorwaarts: sociaal democratisch dagblad dated 31 December 1924. The large dry dock called Dique Valparaiso departed 4 May from Rotterdam.
