Colombo Dockyard represents Sri Lanka at Asia Pacific Maritime 2024 in Singapore

Colombo Dockyard’s team during the exhibition. From left: Ship Repair Marketing Asst. Business Manager Amila Rukshan, Project Proposal Development and Marketing Executive Primal Jayasuriya, Director J. Furukawa, Managing Director/CEO Thimira S. Godakumbura, Ship Repair Business General Manager S.G. Senadheera, and Ship Repair Business Asst. Business Manager Darshana Chandrasekera  

 Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Singapore Senarath Dissanayake at the Colombo Dockyard stall

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

Sri Lanka’s pioneer shipbuilding and ship repairing facility, Colombo Dockyard PLC participated at one of the leading international shipping exhibitions “APM 2024” during 13 to 15 March 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 stakeholders 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.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner 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 the 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 their 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 the 50th anniversary of its operations established in 1974 on 1 August, while the collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Co. Ltd. Japan marks 31 years since the successful collaboration entered in March 1993. 

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