Colombo Dockyard team with Spanish vessel owner Europea De Tunidos S/N team led by Jose Ramon at Navalia exhibition Colombo Dockyard stall

Colombo Dockyard PLC, Sri Lanka’s pioneer shipbuilding and ship repairing facility, participated in one of the biggest international shipping exhibitions, Navalia 2022, in May, in Vigo, Spain. 

Colombo Dockyard has been a regular participant at many marine exhibitions such as Posidonia, Greece, SMM Hamburg and Sea Asia, Singapore and other platforms over the past four decades. This is the first instance Colombo Dockyard has participated in the Navalia exhibition. 

The shipyard has been flying the Sri Lankan flag and promoting Sri Lanka - Colombo as a competitive repair and building centre in the South Asian region in Europe and on global platforms. The Navalia exhibition, which was initially planned to be held in 2020, was postponed to 2022, due to the COVID pandemic restriction spanning the globe.  

The visionary marketing strategies outlined by the Colombo Dockyard senior management team, Chairman H. Tanaka and Managing Director /CEO D.V. Abeysinghe, were executed creating awareness in the Spanish market of the offerings provided by Colombo Dockyard successfully.    

In terms of the number of visitors, the trade fair has met its goal to reach 20,000 visitors during the three days of the event. The visit of HM the King to Navalia has been the final accolade for this biennial event, which is number one in Spain and number three in Europe in its sector. It was the first time that King Felipe opens an event of these characteristics in Galicia.

This focused international marine exhibition had been targeted to penetrate selected market segments such as the specialised Spanish fishing fleet operating in the Indian Ocean territory. This event allowed Colombo Dockyard to portray the technical and logistic capabilities available to the Spanish ship owners in one of the most strategic marine locations in the Indian Ocean. 

The developments in the country were also discussed and required assurances were given to the clients, of a peaceful environment conducive to business, with the Government of Sri Lanka prioritising the port-related industries.  

During this focused event, some of the factors highlighted to the potential clients were Colombo’s strategic location close to the main marine fishing hot spots such as the Seychelles and Mauritius. Quality repair services, safe working environment, rapid response afloat repair facility and Japanese collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard, faster turnaround times and competitive rates. 

The shipbuilding sector highlighted the wide product portfolio on offer for specialised high-end vessels i.e., cable laying vessels, hybrid eco-bulk carriers, passenger vessels, offshore support vessels, crew boats and various other work boats to meet the demanding requirements of a dynamic market. 

Colombo Dockyard team comprised of Director A. Horibe and Assistant General Manager Ship Repair Business Darshana Chandrasekera.