Category: Recent News

Colombo Dockyard (CDPLC) inked an agreement with Hambantota International Port Group (Private) Ltd (HIPG), to setup a fully-fledged workshop at the HIPG facility on the 16th of July 2024.

Once the workshop is setup, this will augment the service availability and the speed of service to the clients, improving the economics to the end user. This new workshop, when in operation will extend the service footprint of Colombo Dockyard to the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka.

The strategic maritime location of Hambantota, in close proximity to the key maritime routes, will allow Colombo Dockyard to offer afloat repair services to a multitude of vessels calling for transhipment, bunkering and other operations and dedicated afloat repairs. HIPG port is a deep draft port with extensive berths that can handle vessels up to 17-meter draft, going up to VLCC.

Colombo Dockyard’s Rapid Response Afloat Repair Service (RRARS), which was launched in 2019 to provide afloat repairs services at all Sri Lankan ports, has played a crucial role in providing the required repair support to the vessels the Sri Lankan waters. The excellent facilities available at the HIP, with over three and a half kilometres of deep draft berths, selected berths serviced with cranage comes in handy for execution of speedy afloat repairs.

These proactive initiatives for setting up a fully-fledged workshop within the HIP facility, will provide much needed capacity augmentation for afloat repairs in Sri Lanka. These auxiliary service availability to the vessels calling the Sri Lankan waters, will also play crucial role in generating much needed foreign exchange to the Sri Lankan economy. Colombo Dockyard operates in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Co. Ltd, Japan since 1993. Colombo Dockyard will be celebrating 50 years of operations in 2024, since its establishment in the year 1974.

Mr Johnson Liu – Chief Executive Officer of Hambantota International Port Group (Pvt) Limited signed the agreement, while Mr. Thimira S Godakumbura, Managing Director / Chief Executive officer signed on behalf of Colombo Dockyard PLC. The HIPG team consisted of Mr Bindu Ranasinghe, DGM-Commercial & Marketing, Mr. Henry Liu, Executive-Commercial & Marketing, Ms. Jayathmi Gamachchige- Asst Manager-Commercial & Marketing, Ms. Deshani Koralage, Senior Manager-Legal, Mr Kavindu Abesuriya, Senior Executive, Legal and Mr Ranjith Withanawasm.

The Colombo Dockyard team present at the occasion Mr. J Furukawa, Director, Mr S G Senadheera, GM,SRB, Mr Benny Fernando, Consultant, SRB, Mr Gihan Ravinatha, CFO, Mr P S Abeysinghe, GM,YD, Mr S H P K Ranatunga, Add GM, SRB, Mrs. Manori Mallikarachchie, Legal Consultant/Company Secretary, Mr Darshana Chandrasekera, AGM,SRB and Mr Amila Rukshan, Head of Marketing.

Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC) made history on June 28, 2024, by achieving three important milestones in shipbuilding on the same day, in the construction of 5000DWT Eco Bulk Carriers for Misje Eco Bulk AS Norway. On this historic day, CDPLC laid the keel marking the commencement of construction of the 8th vessel, launched the 6th vessel, and delivered the 5th vessel of the Eco Bulker series, demonstrating its resilience and commitment to excellence despite economic and market challenges.

The keel laying ceremony of the 8th vessel “Misje Lily” (Yard No. NC0260), launching of the 6th vessel “Misje Lotus” (Yard No. NC0255), and delivery of the 5th vessel “Misje Rose” (Yard No. NC0254) were celebrated in the presence of owner Mr. Roald Misje, CFO Ms. Alina Printseva, Site Manager Mr. Thusitha Herath, and Site Superintendents Mr. Venura Wanasinghe and Mr. Prince Dharmaranjan.

Representatives from DNV comprised of the Country Manager Mr. Saman A. Kumarasinghe and Surveyor Mr. Gishan Dias. From CDPLC, the event was attended by MD/CEO Mr. Thimira Godakumbura, Director Mr. J. Furukawa, Technical Advisor/Alternate Director Mr. S. Nozaki, and other senior management and staff.

The 89.95-meter DNV-classed Eco Bulk Carriers are designed by Wartsila Norway, with detailed design work executed by CDPLC’s in-house team. These vessels feature an Energy Storage Battery System (ESS) for electric hybrid propulsion, supplementing the conventional diesel propulsion, showcasing CDPLC’s commitment to innovative and sustainable maritime solutions. CDPLC’s ability to reach these significant milestones is a testament to its strong global reputation for delivering high-quality vessels and its strategic adaptability to evolving market demands.

Despite the economic downturns, volatile markets, CDPLC has continued to progress, maintaining its position as a strong competitor in the shipbuilding industry. With the country’s financial position turning healthier and with the commitment of our management team and our hardworking employees, we are optimistic that we can successfully continue this growth momentum into the future.

CDPLC operates in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Company Limited of Japan, with a 35% stake held by Sri Lankan government institutions. With nearly five decades of operation, CDPLC is a frontrunner in Sri Lankan industrialization. The achievements of June 28, 2024, reflect CDPLC’s commitment to excellence and resilience. The company remains dedicated to advancing its strategic goals, ensuring operational efficiency, and meeting the evolving demands of the global maritime industry.

Sri Lanka’s pioneer Shipbuilding and Ship repairing facility, Colombo Dockyard PLC participated in one of the biggest International Maritime Exhibitions “Posidonia 2024” in Athens, Greece. Colombo Dockyard teamed up with Master Divers (Pvt) Limited, experts in all types of diving services in the harbour and outer port, Prudential Shipping Lines (Pvt) Limited who offers husbandry services to all ships at Colombo, Deep Ocean Lanka who are maritime suppliers and Lanka Marine Services who are bunker suppliers which constituted the Sri Lanka pavilion. The Sri Lanka Pavilion at the Posidonia 2024 was officially endorsed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Hambantota International Port Group Pvt Ltd, Export Development Board and the Merchant Shipping Secretariat of Sri Lanka. The services Sri Lanka offers to the global maritime fraternity are as follows:

• Port agency services and all types of husbandry services
• Supply of provisions, deck, engine, cabin stores and all other essential ship supplies
• Supply of Bonded Goods
• Supply of navigational and equipment and charts
• Supply of bunkers and marine lubricants
• Supply of fresh water
• All types of shipboard waste removal
• All underwater diving services, inspection and repairs
• Hull cleaning, propeller polishing
• Providing riding technical crew for repairs
• Professional underwater videography
• Dry docking services up to 125,000DWT
• Ship building and heavy engineering
• Afloat emergency repairs
• Technical troubleshooting and rectification
• STS cargo operation services
• Ship Layups
• OPL Launch Services
• Transshipment and integrated logistics
• Naval logistics

For the past three decades, Colombo Dockyard has been a regular participant at the Posidonia platform, proudly flying the Sri Lankan flag and promoting Colombo as a competitive repair and building center in the South Asian region. The Greek maritime community represents a significant market for shipyards globally, with Greek ship owners boasting the world’s largest tonnage. This naturally positions them as some of the biggest spenders on building, dry-docking, maintenance, and ancillary services. Sri Lanka Pavilion presented how the strategic hub, Sri Lanka, can well take care of Greek Fleets in Indian Ocean by providing the total service at all ports and anchorage in Sri Lanka. And we have added more colours to our National Pavilion with the natural beauty of our paradise, which was a breath-stopper for many of the crowd passing by.

Sri Lanka’s strategic geographical location, proximity to main marine trading routes, and status as a hub of sea and air transportation have drawn considerable interest from many European clients. They view Colombo as a promising destination for servicing, maintenance, routine, specialized, and emergency ship repair services, as well as building state-of-the-art vessels for Europe. Additionally, the event served to inform industry players about Sri Lanka’s current economic situation highlighting its positive trajectory and movement towards a promising future and the priority status granted to port-related industries to ensure smooth operations.

Posidonia 2024 provided a fantastic platform for numerous stakeholders in the global maritime community, featuring over 2000 exhibiting companies and attracting approximately 32,000 visitors from over 130 countries. This year’s exhibition was considered an overwhelming success.

Colombo Dockyard commemorates its 50th anniversary since its inception in 1974 and celebrates 31 years of collaboration (since 1993) with Onomichi Dockyard in 2024. Posidonia 2024 was a highly successful forum, showcasing this milestone of Colombo Dockyard and the unique values and services provided.

Colombo Dockyard Team
from left Mr. Amila Rukshan (Asst. Business Manager – Ship Repair Marketing), Mr. S.G. Senadheera (General Manager – Ship Repair Business), Mr. Darshana Chandrasekara (Asst. Gen. Manager – Ship Repair Business) and Mr. Avantha Gunathilake (Asst. Business Manager – Ship Repair Planning)

Team of Participants from Sri Lanka
from left; Mr. Dakshith Jayawardena – Assistant Manager – Business Development (LMS), Mr. Michael Ilangakoon – Business Development Consultant (Master Divers), Mr. Priyantha Hapuarachchi – Director/ Chief Executive Officer (Master Divers), Ms. Hashika Dissanayaka – Assistant Manager – Sales and Marketing (LMS), Ms. Deepika Wijesuriya – Managing Director (Deep Ocean), Mr. Daniel Ortiz (Deep Ocean), Mr. Jayantha Wijetunga – Chief Operating Officer (Prudential), Mr. S.G. Senadheera – General Manager -Ship Repair Business (CDL), Mr. Avantha Gunathilaka – Asst. Business Manager- Ship Repair Planning (CDL), Mr. Darshana Chandrasekara – Asst. General Manager – Ship Repair Business (CDL), Mr. Amila Rukshan – Asst. Business Manager – Ship Repair Marketing (CDL)

The Sri Lankan Pavilion

Sri Lanka’s pioneer Shipbuilding and Ship repairing facility, Colombo Dockyard PLC participated at one of the leading International Shipping Exhibitions “APM 2024” during March 13-15 at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Colombo Dockyard has been a regular participant at many marine exhibitions, such as Posidonia Greece, Norshipping Norway, SMM Hamburg Germany, SMM Inmex India and other platforms over the past four decades. This is the first instance Colombo Dockyard has participated as an active exhibitor at the APM. The shipyard has been flying the Sri Lankan flag and promoting Colombo as a competitive repair and building centre in the South Asian region, European and Global platforms.

Singapore ship owners and managers represent a large share of the world’s floating tonnage. This naturally makes them one of the key market segments for Colombo Dockyard. This mega international marine exhibition has been a meeting place for Southeast Asian / Global shipping fraternity stake holders such as: Shipyards, machinery and equipment suppliers, classification societies, flag states, shipbrokers to name a few.

As the anchor event held successfully for the 18th time, APM enjoys strong support from government agencies and key trade associations, firmly establishing itself in the marketplace as the leading platform for both the global and local maritime and offshore communities to explore business, network and unveil new products and services.

The Sri Lankan High Commissioner His Excellency Senarath Dissanayake visited the Colombo Dockyard stall with his delegation and encouraged the shipyard team to carry on the good work of flying the Sri Lankan flag high at this international forum and conveyed the fullest support from his team to further strengthen the Singapore- Sri Lanka ties.

This platform was used to inform the market of the latest shipyard developments offerings, such as the newly formed Rapid Response Afloat repair team that can be mobilised swiftly at any Sri Lankan ports (Colombo, Trincomalee Galle and Hambantota) to attend to multiple type of afloat repairs.

During this event, some of the other key factors highlighted to the potential clients were: Colombo’s strategic location close to the main marine trading routes, specially avoiding the turbulent Red Sea passage, along with minimal diversion for vessel’s calling to discharge in the Indian coast, quality repair services, safe working environment, Japanese expertise available through our collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard, faster turnaround times and competitive rates. The shipbuilding sector highlighted the wide product portfolio on offer for complex vessels such as the Cable Layer vessels and Hybrid Eco Bulk carriers, along with our market proven Anchor Handling Tugs, Offshore Platform Support Vessels, Crew Boats, Coast Guard Vessels, Harbour Tugs, Work Boats Passenger Ferries, and other specialised Vessels.

The positive developments in the country with the economic revival process, laying the foundation conducive for business to prosper, these initiatives have been instrumental in many South East Asian, Middle Eastern and European clients looking at Colombo seriously as a potential ship repair and building facility. The year 2024 is significant as Colombo Dockyard celebrates 50th Anniversary of its operations established in 1974 – August 1st, while the collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Co. Ltd. Japan marks 31 years since the successful collaboration entered in March 1993.

Colombo Dockyard team was led by Mr. Thimira S Godakumbura, Managing Director /CEO, Mr J Furukawa – Director, Mr S G Senadheera, General Manager, Ship Repair Business, Mr. Darshana Chandrasekera – Asst. Business Manager, Ship Repair Business, Mr. Amila Rukshan, Asst. Business Manager, Ship Repair Marketing and Mr Primal Jayasuriya, Executive (Project Proposal Development and Marketing).

Colombo Dockyard’s Team during the exhibition.
(L-R) Mr. Amila Rukshan, Asst. Business Manager, Ship Repair Marketing, Mr Primal Jayasuriya, Executive, Project Proposal Development and Marketing, Mr J Furukawa, Director, Mr. Thimira S Godakumbura, Managing Director/CEO, Mr S G Senadheera, General Manager, Ship Repair Business and Mr. Darshana Chandrasekera – Asst. Business Manager, Ship Repair Business

H.E. Senarath Dissanayake, Sri Lankan High Commissioner visiting Colombo Dockyard stall

Colombo Dockyard stall flying the Sri Lankan flag at the APM Exhibition in Singapore

Colombo Dockyard PLC, a leading shipbuilding and repair company, had the distinct honor of hosting a prestigious delegation led by Hon. Suzuki Shunichi, the Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Financial Services of Japan, on January 12, 2024. The visit not only highlighted the collaboration between Colombo Dockyard and Onomichi Dockyard Co. Ltd Japan, which began in 1993 and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023, but also commemorated Colombo Dockyard’s 50th anniversary since its establishment in 1974.

Following the introductory briefing presentation and discussions with senior management of Colombo Dockyard, the delegation carried out a yard tour of Colombo Dockyard’s facilities. The delegation had the opportunity to witness “Misje Flora”, 4^th of the 5000 DWT Eco Bulk Carrier series being built to Norway.

Hon. Suzuki Shunichi’s visit and the presence of the entire delegation not only emphasized the importance of Colombo Dockyard as a Japanese collaborated company but also strengthened the economic and diplomatic ties between Japan and Sri Lanka. This notable event is expected to further propel Colombo Dockyard PLC’s success in the global maritime industry.

The Japanese delegation comprised Hon. Mr. Suzuki Shunichi accompanied by Mr. Suzuki Shuntaro, Secretary to the Minister; Mr. Sugano Hiroto, Secretary to the Minister; Mr. Tamagawa Eisuke, Secretary to the Minister; Mr. Ishizuka Yoshiaki, Security Officer to the Minister; Mr. Tsuchiya Akihiro, Senior Deputy Director-General, International Bureau; Mr. Ikeda Yoichiro, Director, Office of the Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, International Bureau; Mr. Sugiura Tatsuya, Director for Strategy and Coordination, Planning and Administration Division, International Bureau; Mr. Torizawa Koyu, Section Chief, Development Policy Division, International Bureau; Mr. Nakashoji Kazuya, Section Chief, Office of Development Finance, International Bureau; and Ms. Akiyama Tatae, Interpreter.

Representing the Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka were H.E. Mr. Mizukoshi Hideaki, Ambassador of Japan; Mr. Murakami Takashi, First Secretary; Mr. Onozato Tsuyoshi, Second Secretary; and Ms. Duleesha Hettiarachchi, Senior Economic Cooperation Officer.

From Colombo Dockyard PLC, key figures present included Mr. Sarath De Costa, Vice Chairman; Mr. Thimira S. Godakumbura, Managing Director/CEO; Mr. J. Furukawa, Director; Mr. S. Nozaki, Technical Advisor/Alternate Director; and Mr. Gihan Ravinatha, General Manager (Finance)/CFO, Mr. Vajira Rathnayake, General Manager (SCM); Dr. Mangala De Silva, General Manger (HRD &A) and Mr. Prabath Abeysinghe, General Manager (Yard Development).

Hon. Suzuki Shunichi with CDPLC Vice Chairman, Mr. Sarath De Costa and MD/CEO, Mr. Thimira S. Godakumbura

Attending the yard tour

Group photo after completing the yard tour

Mr Ahmed Shareef, Managing Director & CEO of the Maldives State Shipping (MSS) paid a curtesy call on Mr Thimira S Godakumbura, Managing Director /CEO of Colombo Dockyard PLC on the 10th of January 2024. The high-level MSS delegation headed by Mr Ahmed Shareef comprised of Capt. Ahmed Zubair, Deputy Managing Director, Capt. Ibrahim Rafeeu, Chief Operating Officer, Mr Thaha Mohamed, Senior Manager Commercial and Ms. Aminath Shimna.

Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC) has been providing ship repair and ship building facilities to the Republic of Maldives for over four decades. Colombo Dockyard operates in collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Co. Ltd, Japan. CDPLC have been a close business partner of MSS providing drydocking and ship repair services to the MSS fleet since its inception. The discussions between MSS and CDPLC team covered many aspects strengthening the business partnership between the two corporates as well as Sri Lanka and Maldives.

The Colombo Dockyard team comprised of Mr. Thimira S Godakumbura, MD/CEO, Mr S G Senadheera, General Manager, Ship Repair Business, Mr Darshana Chandrasekera, Asst. General Manager, Ship Repair Business and Mr Amila Rukshan, Assistant Business Manager, Ship Repair Marketing.

L-R : Mr Sujith Dias, MSS Sri Lanka, Mr S G Senadheera-GM-CDPLC, SRB, Ms. Aminath Shimna, Executive Secretary-MSS, Mr Thimira S Godakubura, MD/CEO-CDPLC, Mr Ahmed Shareef, Managing Director & CEO, Capt. Ahmed Zubair, Deputy Managing Director, Capt. Ibrahim Rafeeu-COO, Mr Thaha Mohamed, Senior Manager Commercial-MSS, Mr Darshana Chandrasekera, Asst.GM, SRB, Mr Amila Rukshan, ABM, SRB.

Colombo Dockyard PLC, Sri Lanka’s leading shipbuilding and ship repair facility, recently participated in the prestigious “INMEX-SMM-2023” shipping exhibition held in Mumbai, India. Under the capable leadership of Mr. H. Tanaka, Chairman, and Mr. Thimira Godakumbura, Managing Director/CEO, Colombo Dockyard has embarked on proactive initiatives to strengthenthe bonds in the maritime market. Their participation in this event aimed to foster stronger ties with the Indian fleet and regain the confidence of ship managers, owners, and service providers in Sri Lanka’s capabilities for ship repair and construction.

Colombo Dockyard has a rich history of participating in marine exhibitions, having been a regular presence at events like Posidonia in Greece, Norshipping in Oslo, Sea Asia in Singapore, SMM in Germany, and other prominent platforms for over five decades. Their recent participation in the INMEX-SMM Mumbai edition marked the second occasion where they actively exhibited their expertise. The shipyard consistently promotes Colombo as a competitive hub for repair and building services in South Asia, Europe, and on the global stage, flying the Sri Lankan flag with pride.

Situated in close proximity to the Indian subcontinent, Colombo Dockyard is widely recognized as a “Home away from Home” for the rapidly expanding Indian fleet seeking superior repair and shipbuilding facilities. The theme of the INMEX-SMM event, “Home away from Home for the Indian Fleet,” resonated well with the Indian shipping community, emphasizing the strong relationship between Colombo Dockyard and Indian clientele, making them a significant market segment for the facility.

The INMEX-SMM exhibition served as a pivotal meeting point for various stakeholders in the Indian and global shipping industry, including machinery and equipment suppliers, classification societies, and shipbrokers. Colombo Dockyard seized this opportunity to underscore its strategic location in close proximity to the Indian Subcontinent, its successful collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard, and its high-quality repair services. Their offerings include Rapid Response Afloat Repair Services, Rope Access Repairs, Riding Crew Repairs, and extensive expertise in constructing Cable Layer Vessels, Eco Bulk Carriers, Offshore Vessels, Passenger Vessels, among others.

Furthermore, Colombo Dockyard utilized this platform to emphasize the stability of the Sri Lankan economy and the country as a whole, following the challenges faced in recent years. This commitment to showcasing its capabilities and fostering strong partnerships positions Colombo Dockyard as a major player in the international maritime industry, offering valuable services to clients across the globe.

Colombo Dockyard team was lead by Mr. S.G. Senadheera – General Manager (Ship Repair Business), Mr. Benny Fernando – Consultant, Mr. Amila Rukshan – Asst. Business Manager (Ship Repair Marketing) and Mr. Primal Jayasuriya – Executive (Projects Proposal Development and Marketing).

Comprehensive Showcase of the Colombo Dockyard Exhibition Stall and its Dedicated Team  

In a remarkable display of maritime expertise, Colombo Dockyard recently undertook drydock repairs on the Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) Surya Veerya (LOA: 226m, Beam: 37.20m, GRT: 45,811) with highest appreciation for their swift response and exceptional service. The vessel is owned by Foresight Group Services Ltd, UAE, which has a fleet of four Very Large Gas Carriers. The ship is managed by Wilhelmsen Shipmanagement, Malaysia.

The VLGC Surya Veerya called Colombo for drydock repairs. Facing unforeseen challenges of lead time, the vessel’s call for assistance was met with a prompt and professional response from Colombo Dockyard.

The team at Colombo Dockyard, known for their maritime prowess and technical proficiency, efficiently managed retrofit of DESMI OPTIMO BWTS, Safety Valve repairs at Cryogenic Workshop, Heat Exchanger tube eddy current tests and after repair pressure tests and routine drydock repairs. This multi-tasked operation was executed with utmost precision and care, despite the complexities involved.

What truly sets this endeavor apart is the dedication and commitment displayed by Colombo Dockyard in ensuring that the VLGC Surya Veerya was back in the ocean before the stipulated timeframe. The repairs were completed before the guaranteed time, earning the highest appreciation from all stakeholders involved.

Acknowledging the collaborative effort that made this project a success, special thanks to be given to Foresight Group and Wilhelmsen for their unwavering support and understanding throughout the supervision of the repairs. Their cooperation and expertise played a pivotal role in the project’s success. As VLGC Surya Veerya prepares to set sail once again, we wish the vessel fair winds and smooth seas on its journey, confident in the knowledge that it has received the best care and expertise from Colombo Dockyard.

Colombo Dockyard’s handling of the VLGC Surya Veerya’s repairs is a shining example of their commitment to maritime excellence. This recent achievement underscores their position as a prominent figure in the maritime industry, and they continue to prove their odyssey of excellence with each project they undertake.

On the 24^th of October 2023, Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC) ceremoniously handed over the 3^rd vessel of the 5000DWT Eco Bulk Carriers series, named “Misje Viola,” to the Norwegian company Misje Eco Bulk AS.

Figure 1 – 5000DWT Eco Bulk Carrier “Misje Viola”

The event was attended by Mr. Roald Misje, Chairman of Misje Eco Bulk AS, Ms. Alina Printseva, the company’s CFO, Mr. Alexander Misje along with representatives including Mr. Thusitha Herath, Mr. Prince Dharmarajan, Mr. Venura Wanasinghe, and Mr. Aleksei Belousov. Also, the vessel’s crew and Mr. Saman.A. Kumarasinghe, the Country Manager of DNV, were among the participants.

Figure 2 – Mr. Roald Misje Chairman of Misje and Mr. Thimira S. Godakumbura MD/CEO of Colombo Dockyard Exchanging Delivery Protocols

From CDPLC side, Mr. Thimira Godakumbura MD/CEO, Mr. J.Furukawa Director, and a host of other Senior Management and Staff /employees were present.

The first vessel of the series was delivered by CDPLC in September last year, followed by the second vessel in April this year. The construction of this third vessel notably took a shorter time span in comparison.

The 89.95 m DNV classed Eco Bulker was designed by the Wartsila Norway, and detailed design was caried out inhouse by the CDPLC design team. The vessel comprises with Energy Storage Battery System (ESS) for Electric Hybrid Propulsion on top of the conventional diesel propulsion facility.

Misje Eco Bulk AS, Norway (Misje) is the very first European client of CDPLC and this project too illustrates CDPLC’s reputation in the European market with the brand “Built in Sri Lanka blending Sri Lankan technology with Japanese quality” receiving high recognition and acceptance in Europe market.

CDPLC operates in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Company Limited of Japan with a 35% stake by Sri Lankan Government institutions. Expanding its business nearly five decades, CDPLC is the front runner of Sri Lankan industrialization as the leading contributors to the National Export earnings from the Shipbuilding sector.

Figure 3 – Dignitaries Presented at the Ceremony.

Figure 4 – Group Photo

Colombo Dockyard PLC operates Rapid Response Afloat Repair Services to Vessels to assure safe sailing in Indian ocean even they face challenges. MV Pavo Brave entangled her propeller with a steel buoy in Bangladesh and shut her propulsion down immediately. The vessel’s management company, MMS Co. Ltd Japan contacted our parent company Onomichi Dockyard Ltd, Japan and sought their intervention to assist the vessel repair through Colombo Dockyard PLC. The shipyard immediately arranged safe berthing at Hambantota Port and got ready to repair the propulsion system which could extend to greater levels depending on the damage.

The greatest impact to the vessel in such emergency situation is finding an immediate docking slot at close proximity and the waiting time. Understanding these concerns, RRARS developed a proven method of commencing shaft line repairs while afloat was proposed for this project. With the experience of repeating the same exercise in several bulk carriers, Colombo Dockyard successfully convinced MMS Co. Ltd to attend repairs without docking at Hambantota port which also saved considerable cost for towing.

The vessels MMS Co. Ltd manage are trading globally hence Colombo Dockyard, being located in a strategic location in the middle of Indian ocean is an ideal partner for their planned and emergency repair needs.

The vessel was towed to Hambantota Port and Colombo Dockyard’s Planning team decided to remove the propeller and rest it at the pier to repair due to the deformations of the propeller was observed. Being masters in handling such high risk and highly involved jobs, Rapid Response Afloat Repair Services (RRARS) team made the necessary arrangements to remove the propeller and transport it to the berth. The team removed the intermediate shaft and the tail shaft, inspected and measured the stern tube bearing and contact area of tail shaft, all which were found to be within the parameters as the ship has managed to take immediate actions to avoid further damage at the initial stage of contact with buoy. Following the surveyor’s advice, bond testing of both Fwd and Aft bearings was carried out and found all were intact.

In parallel, propeller’s damage was assessed by RRARS team followed by NDT testing. After which the necessary repairs and fairing up process commenced at controlled conditions. After bringing the blades to the designed profile, it was MPI tested and fitted back onboard. The remarkable expertise exhibited by the Colombo Dockyard team was evident as they fastidiously worked on refurbishing the propeller and aft seal, leaving no detail overlooked in the pursuit of restoring them to their optimal states.  All these repairs and inspections were carried out under the supervision of Class NK, the vessel’s classification society.

Colombo Dockyard acknowledges MMS Co. Ltd for the confidence placed in their Afloat Repair Services and placing their valuable asset to undergo this unique repair at Hambantota Port, where the project was completed within budget and on time meeting the client’s expectations.  The head of Afloat Repairs, Mr. Y.R.A.P.M. Rajapakse managed the overall project while the repair team was led by Ship repair Engineer Mr. D.J. Jayatunga under the guidance of Asst. Production Manager for Engine Dept. Mr. D. Abeywickrama.

Colombo Dockyard PLC also established the Afloat repair support at Trincomalee port by forming a branch office inside the port premises. The purpose of providing solutions to the vessels at their emergencies is yet again proved by The RRARS team. This special unit is fully geared to handle afloat repairs in any port or any anchorage in Sri Lanka.