Sri Lanka resumes talks on setting up a boat launch pad
The Morning: Despite the struggles faced by the local marine industry in launching newly-built vessels for test rides, the Government is once again discussing the construction of a boat launch pad in order to supply quality products to its export clientele.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Industries has allocated Rs. 80 million for the construction of the first locally-owned boat launch pad in Beruwala, The Sunday Morning Business learns.
Significantly, in 2020, under the approval of then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the ministry allocated Rs. 100 million to construct the ‘first-ever boat launch pad’ in Beruwala, which was meant to be declared open by the end of that year.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Ministry of Industries Additional Secretary (Sector Development) Chaminda Pathiraja said: “This facility is to be constructed in the Beruwala area since more than seven or eight boat building businesses are situated there. The lack of a boat launching facility to test their boats is a significant issue.”
He explained that these businesses currently utilised manual operations such as backhoes to push the boat out to sea, which was dangerous and damaging to the new boats as well as to those within the boat, since there was a significant likelihood of the boats capsizing due to the waves.
According to the Nautical Channel, other countries use advanced technological methods such as gravitational, floating-out, mechanical, and airbag launching for this purpose.
Therefore, the Sri Lankan boat manufacturing industry, which utilised outdated, manual methods, would be less competitive in the international markets, Pathiraja stated.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Chamber of Marine Industries Director – Boat Building Industry Development Sumithra Fernando said: “Last year, the Ministry of Industries planned to build the launch pad, but the Government approval processes took time and they have started it now.”
He pointed out that the Ministry of Industries had allocated Rs. 40 million last year and Rs. 40 million more this year, bringing the total for the construction of the boat launch pad to Rs. 80 million.
“The boat manufacturers work with foreign customers. When the clients come on the day their boat is to be launched to sea, they don’t like it when we use manual methods since it damages their boats. Therefore, they refrain from giving us new orders,” Fernando stated.
According to the Chamber of Marine Industries, Sri Lanka’s only boat launching facility is located at the Colombo Dockyard and is Japanese-owned.
“This is the only opportunity to have a State-owned boat launch pad which will help bring in more dollars to the country,” he added.
Last year the marine industry recorded an export revenue of $ 79 million and this year’s target has been set at $ 100 million.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s tourism and maritime industries are both on a growth path. The proposed boat launch pad would definitely help attract tourists as well as boost the maritime industry. These two industries are key revenue generators of the country. The country’s current growth path has resulted in the expansion in business/investment opportunities covering all key economic sectors. All these have resulted in growing opportunities in the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities required by many key economic sectors like tourism and maritime. Given the growth and business potential in Sri Lanka with the country fast becoming an emerging business destination, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding opportunities. The Sri Lankan government has also introduced many incentive schemes to attract foreign businesses/investors to the country. Many foreign businesses have already identified the growth and business potential in Sri Lanka and it is evident by the large scale businesses that have already expressed interest in doing business with the country. With all these positive movements in the country and the expanding opportunities in the tourism and maritime industry, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the growing opportunities in Sri Lanka.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20240409/Z_3 |