Master Divers to venture into logistics services

By Nishel Fernando 
Sri Lanka’s oldest and leading underwater services and salvage company, Master Divers (Pvt.) Ltd, plans to venture into bonded warehousing and other logistics services during the next five years, aiming to offer more turnkey and value-added services to Sri Lanka’s growing maritime and logistics industry. 

“We are planning warehousing and bonded warehousing in three locations in the Hambantota Free Trade Zone, Colombo and Trincomalee.

We are also planning to invest in logistics and transportation,” Master Divers Director Operations Akmal Wickramanayake said. 

He revealed this during a ceremony held to celebrate the firm’s 40th anniversary, in Colombo, recently. 

Encouraged by the growing demand for services at the Trincomalee port over the past few years, Wickramanayake said Master Divers plans to commence operations at the Trincomalee port by the first quarter of 2020, with the launch of its office branch.

In addition to its operations in Sri Lanka, Master Divers is currently engaged in offshore and harbour-based marine activities and maritime construction activities in Thailand, the Maldives, India, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.

Master Divers and W.A. Tucker Founder Chairman Ariyaseela Wickramanayake emphasised that the firm would increase its focus on South Asian ports and beyond in coming years, to become the key marine service provider in the region.

“We have been focusing on serving the Sri Lankan shipping industry and our next step is to service the demands of the remaining ports in the South Asian region, some of which we have been servicing since 1978.

I hope we would achieve our vision of becoming South Asia’s foremost diving and marine service provider. Hence, each year we keep on raising the bar higher for optimal work efficiency. This has been the key ingredient in our results. Hopefully, with that we may be able to extend our horizons and reach beyond the shores of South Asia with innovative technology and enhanced services in the coming years,” he elaborated. 

Speaking at the occasion, Master Divers Director Toshan Wickramanayake highlighted that the firm has evolved from a local marine service contractor for foreign firms to a fully-fledged marine service provider over the years, acquiring its own fleet of vessels and equipment. 

“The company started operations in September 1979 as a local contractor to foreign salvage firms based in Sri Lanka. Overtime, we grew and in 1980s, we became the first private company in Sri Lanka to own and operate service boats. With those developments, we were able to offer shore services to both local and foreign clients,” he said. 

In Sri Lanka, Master Divers is currently involved in towage, salvage, marine engineering, civil engineering, shipwright and other connected services. Master Divers also owns its own fleet of vessels and equipment and is the only marine firm in the Asian region with such capabilities. Further, it also owns the largest salvage tug in the region and the largest hull cleaning machine in the world. Master Divers’ shipyard located in the Colombo Port has also developed major capabilities in dry-docking and ship repair. The firm also has 11 seagoing supply and services vessels, two large deck barges, anchor handling barges and water barges.