Sri Lanka Ports Authority gets new pilot boat

Following signing of agreement for the pilot vessel, SLPA Chairman General Daya Ratnayake and CDL Managing Director/CEO D.V. Abeysinghe exchange special plaques. State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development Jayantha Samaraweera and SLPA Harbour Master Captain Nirmal Silva are also seen

A new pilot boat manufactured for the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) was handed over to SLPA on 22 February at the Colombo Dockyard PLC.

Built by the Colombo Dockyard PLC, the pilot boat was designed by Macduff Ship designing Ltd., of Scotland. The pilot boat with a length of 19 meters is designed to easily accommodate four pilots and four sailors. With a top speed of 22 nautical miles, this vessel is specially designed to operate under any weather condition prevailing in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the gathering, State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development Jayantha Samaraweera said that the day was marked a special day for Sri Lankan marine vessel manufacturing that had well demonstrated the excellence of the Colombo Dockyard PLC in vessel building. “This is a sustainable step forward in highlighting Sri Lanka’s state-of-the-art vessel building capacities creating a positive attitude towards craft manufacturing capabilities in Sri Lanka,” he emphasised.

In view of the pandemic situation prevailing in the country the event had been organised under health regulatory guidelines. Secretary to the State Ministry of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development D.D. Matararachchi, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman General Daya Ratnayake, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Vice Chairman Prof. Prasantha Jayamanne, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Harbour Master Captain Nirmal Silva, Colombo Dockyard PLC Chairman Hideaki Tanaka, Managing Director/CEO D.V. Abeysinghe and several other officials of both institutions were present at the occasion.

State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development Jayantha Samaraweera inspects the new pilot vessel purchased by Sri Lanka Ports Authority. SLPA Chairman General Daya Ratnayake, SLPA Harbour Master Captain Nirmal Silva and Colombo Dockyard Managing Director/CEO D.V. Abeysinghe are seen

New pilot vessel purchased by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority