Sri Lanka’s Dockyard to build six bulk hybrid carriers for Norway based company
Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard Plc has reportedly announced that the company is gearing to build six 5,000 dead weight ton bulk hybrid carriers for Norway based Misje Eco Bulk AS. The Norwegian company has also given an option for four other vessels.
According to Dockyard, while the contracts were signed on March 14, 2020, it is “scheduled to come into effect only in the month of September 2020 with Owners final board approval.”
The first vessel should be delivered by Colombo Dockyard in 18 months and subsequent vessels at four month intervals and the vessels would be 89.95 meters long and have a hold with a capacity of 5,000DWT, local media reports stated.
“The type of cargo they could carry includes bulk cargo, grain, timber, unit loads and containers,” Dockyard has stated, adding, “Each vessel is powered by a 4 stroke diesel engine with an Electric Hybrid system supplying additional power through a Battery system.”
As eco-friendly vessels, they have lower emissions compared to a conventional bulk carrier of the same size and the basic design has been by Wartsila Ship Design Norway AS.
OSL take:
The order to build five shipping vessels by Sri Lanka’s Dockyard to a Norwegian based company is indicative of the strength and level of competence of local manufacturing sector. Sri Lanka’s maritime and related manufacturing sector is on a growth path along with the island’s drive towards achieving hub status in the Indian Ocean region. Sri Lanka’s geographical positioning in the Indian Ocean, ease of doing business environment and the many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed by the country have made the country a business hub in the South Asian region. Sri Lanka also figures prominently in China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Chinese have shown much interest in Sri Lanka’s maritime sector. Therefore, Sri Lanka’s shipping and maritime sector is a hotspot for foreign business investments.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/21082020/Z_1 |