Colombo Dockyard launches cable laying, repair vessel C/S Sophie Germain

C/S Sophie Germain at Colombo Dockyard 
Pic by Pradeep Dilruckshana

Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC), the leader of the shipbuilding industry in Sri Lanka and one of the most competitive shipyards in South Asia, launched this week a cable laying and repair vessel, C/S Sophie Germain, to Orange Marine France.

Orange Marine is a French company specialising in the field of submarine telecommunications, from the initial design, engineering, to installation of intercontinental and regional links and maintenance of existing cables. Its fleet is one of the most experienced in the world and represents 15 percent of the world fleet.

The ceremonial launching took place at Dock No 2 of the CDPLC premises on Thursday. Gracing the occasion were dignitaries from the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka, Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka, officials from government institutions, including SLN, EDB, SLPA, Customs, officials from state and private banks, ship designers, class surveyors and CDPLC management and employees.

The basic design was developed by Vard Design AS of Norway to be a highly eco-friendly vessel and Geir Rygg Berge Department Manager Project Engineering while the detailed design was carried out in house by the CDPLC design team.

The vessel is built to Bureau Veritas classification society standards and regulatory requirements of the French Flag Authority. 

“This is a good chance to send the message that Colombo Dockyard will never give up under lot of difficulties faced by Sri Lanka and we will continue to be a leader of cable layer vessels in the international market,” said CDPLC Chairman Hideaki Tanaka addressing the event. 

“This is another project showcasing 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 the Europe market,” he added.

CDPLC operates in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Company Limited of Japan, with a 35 percent stake by Sri Lankan government institutions. Expanding its business nearly five decades, CDPLC is the frontrunner of Sri Lankan industrialisation as the leading contributors to the national export earnings from the shipbuilding sector, earning the much-needed foreign currency to the Sri Lankan economy.