CDL seeks Japan, Europe business

Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL) is aggressively pursuing its foray into shipbuilding by seeking more customers from the Middle East, Japan and Europe.

“In 2004 we penetrated the Middle Eastern market and now we are consolidating it. We have also received several inquires from Japan and Europe which we are carefully looking at,” Mangala Yapa, Managing Director/CEO, CDL told The Sunday Times FT.

He said that CDL’s new shareholder, Horizen Group of Companies in the Middle East, which bought Hayleys stake of CDL last year is backing the company to further strengthen the Middle Eastern market in shipbuilding. “Until 2003, CDL was concentrating on internal shipbuilding, but we did not have commercial aspirations.

We want to strengthen this drive this year by concentrating on different markets,” he explained, adding that last year CDL delivered three tug boats for Saudi Arabia. Yapa said that CDL owned four dry docks which were used for ship repairs, but when the company recognised the potential for shipbuilding, the challenge was to expand the capacity for shipbuilding.

“The market potential is for ancillary boats for the shipping industry,” he added.