Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard builds underwater restaurant structure for island resort in Maldives
Daily FT: Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC) has successfully completed the contract for the design, supply of materials, fabrication, towing and providing installation guidance of an Underwater Restaurant Structure (UWRS) for Aanugandu Falhu Island in the Republic of Maldives.
Amidst an extremely difficult period in the country caused by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, CDPLC managed to complete the 440T steel structure within just seven months including the design and successfully dispatched the UWRS to Maldives on 18 February. The UWRS reached Maldives on 22 February. The contract was awarded in April 2021.
CDPLC will guide the client’s team to safely submerge this structure and place it on the seabed of Lagoon 17, Aanugandu Island.
The client expects this to be a major tourist attraction for their newly developed resort. Once commissioned and put into operation, this will be the largest underwater restaurant in Maldives with a seating capacity of 48 persons with viewing gallery to all guests simultaneously.
The concept design originated from the client, which was converted into an engineering marvel with the design developed by AKDA Engineers Lanka Ltd., headed by A.K. Diyabalanage and Colombo Dockyard design team carried out the detail and production design.
The specifications included length: 32.78m; breath: 18m; restaurant depth: 4.5m below Mean Sea Level and seating capacity: 48.
This is the second such project undertaken by Colombo Dockyard. It handled the first-ever Underwater Restaurant Structure (UWRS) project in 2018 to the Uthuru Maafaru Islands of Maldives. Proven capability of CDPLC has allowed this new client to place its confidence on CDPLC to build another UWRS for its hotel chain ‘Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts’ in Maldives. This underwater restaurant will add yet another feather to the portfolio of luxury resorts with exotic underwater dining experience of Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts.
CDPLC is the pioneering shipbuilding, ship repairing and heavy engineering facility in the country and operates in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Company Ltd. of Japan with Sri Lankan Government institutions having a shareholding of 35%.
As a ship building, ship repairing and heavy engineering company in Sri Lanka, CDPLC said it continuously proves its excellence by successfully securing and executing global projects and earning much needed foreign exchange to the country.
OSL take:
The latest project undertaken by Colombo Dockyard is indicative of the growth of local businesses as well as the developing expertise and knowhow enjoyed by them. Many businesses in the country have shown a steady growth despite facing the pandemic challenges. Also, the country’s ongoing development programme and the growth of the country as a business hub in the South Asian region have all increased the business potential in Sri Lanka. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore confidently explore business opportunities in Sri Lanka as well as look at forming partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/11032022/Z_4 |