Dockyard gets major boost from DCI fleet services deal

From left: Indian High Commission Counsellor (E&C) Devika Lal; Dredging Corporation of India Managing Director/CEO Capt. S. Divakar; Colombo Dockyard Managing Director/CEO Thimira S. Godakumbura; High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santhosh Jha; DCI Directors Capt. Jagmohan and Biju George - Pix by Upul Abayasekara

DCI Managing Director/CEO Capt. S. Divakar (left) and Colombo Dockyard Managing Director/CEO Thimira S. Godakumbura sign the MoU  

• Inks MoU to handle repairs, maintenance and upgrades for Dredging Corporation of India Ltd. fleet
• Part of post-Mazagon Dock acquisition strategy to lift Indian-linked volumes
• MoU reflects deeper India–Sri Lanka maritime collaboration

In a major move to improve business volumes and deepen maritime integration with the subcontinent, Colombo Dockyard PLC and Dredging Corporation of India Ltd. (DCI) yesterday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide comprehensive dry docking, repair, and upgrade facilities for DCI’s fleet of dredgers.

This historic agreement marks a milestone in strengthening maritime cooperation between India and Sri Lanka and reinforces the longstanding operational ties between the two organisations, Colombo Dockyard said in a statement.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed by DCI Managing Director/CEO Capt. S. Divakar and Colombo Dockyard Managing Director/CEO Thimira S. Godakumbura.

The agreement sets out a structured framework under which Colombo Dockyard will support the planned and emergent repair, maintenance, and enhancement requirements of DCI’s dredging fleet.

Following its recent acquisition, India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. now holds a controlling 51% stake in Colombo Dockyard. This ownership structure further strengthens the institutional and strategic links in the maritime industries of India and Sri Lanka.

The MoU with DCI was facilitated as part of the strategic understanding between Colombo Dockyard and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., to enhance business volumes from Indian-owned maritime operations to Sri Lanka.

The significance of this landmark event was elevated by the presence of Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, along with members of his delegation, underscoring the importance of this agreement in the context of bilateral maritime and economic cooperation.

Through this strategic collaboration, Colombo Dockyard is positioned as a preferred repair and maintenance partner for DCI’s vessels operating across the Indian Ocean region. The partnership is expected to enhance fleet availability, improve turnaround efficiency, and ensure the uninterrupted conduct of critical dredging operations, while upholding the highest standards of technical excellence, reliability, and safety.

DCI provides dredging services to major and minor ports, the Indian Navy, fishing harbours, and other maritime organisations, encompassing capital dredging for new harbour developments, deepening of existing ports, and routine maintenance dredging to ensure safe and efficient shipping channels. Supported by a modern and sophisticated fleet of dredgers, DCI contributes significantly to both national infrastructure development and international maritime projects.

The signing of this MoU further deepens the enduring partnership between Colombo Dockyard and DCI to service an increased number of dredgers from DCI’s expanding fleet. The agreement enhances operational readiness and asset reliability while reinforcing shared objectives of long-term cooperation, capacity building, and continuous improvement in maritime engineering standards.

Beyond its immediate operational significance, this landmark agreement underscores the growing depth of bilateral maritime collaboration between India and Sri Lanka. It reflects a shared vision for sustainable growth, regional maritime resilience, and excellence in ship repair and marine infrastructure support across the Indian Ocean.