MTD Walkers PLC steps in to resurrect Galle Marina project
Sri Lanka’s ambitious ‘Galle Marina’ project aimed at making the Galle harbour a tourism port which was temporarily halted by the Bodu Bala Sena-led communal tensions in Aluthgama in 2014, is to be resumed soon. MTD Walkers PLC, an integrated infrastructure and engineering solutions providers has been granted approval to re-commence the construction of yacht/leisure craft repair/shipbuilding facility at the Port of Galle under this initiative, official sources revealed. This yacht repair project was launched in 2013 with Hadi Hamam Group of Saudi Arabia as the investor and Sea Gulf Shipyard (Sri Lanka), the project proponent at an estimated cost of US$44 million during the Rajapaksa regime. The Saudi Arabian investor then backed out from the project after the Aluthgama incident where 3 people were killed and 80 were injured.
It is now ready to re-commence the construction work of the yacht repair project in partnership with MTD Walkers PLC as a sum of $ 2 million has already been spent on the project. However Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has objected to the recommencement of the project when this matter was taken up at the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) recently. SLPA officials claimed that a yacht repair facility was not included in Request for Proposals (RFP) on the proposed Galle Marina. Overruling the objection, the CCEM has granted approval to MTD Walkers PLC noting that the project should be allowed with clear guidelines on specifications of yachts, this repair facility site could be undertaken.
The SLPA has been directed to provide clear guidelines for this purpose. The facilities for yachts provided at Galle Port had been damaged during the tsunami and the proposed development is to provide a fully-fledged Marina for the Galle Port to facilitate calling yachts as well as to attract more yachts. The repair facility in Galle will also attract a large number of vessels from the Maldives, creating many business opportunities for Sri Lanka, official sources said. The Galle Port is the only Sri Lankan port that provides facilities for pleasure yachts. The International Yacht Society has also recognized the Galle Port as one of the world’s best tourist attraction, officials added.