AMW, Cey-Nor to develop floating piers

Hiran H. Senewiratne

Associated Motorways Lanka Co Limited (AMW) and Cey-Nor Foundation Limited have joined to develop floating piers to attract the leisure sector.

MAWS and Cey-Nor Foundation will invest Rs 2.5 million as infrastructure developed by the Ministry of Fisheries, AMW General Manager - Yamaha Marine/ Power Products Shehann De Zoysa told the Daily News.

To facilitate this move the Fisheries Ministry has helped to build the country’s first marina in Chilaw in the Puttlam District for the leisure sector.

First they are planning to manufacture luxury type piers for the local market in Sri Lanka.

Thereafter they are looking at exporting piers to Maldives and other countries in the Asian region.

Initially, Cey-Nor Foundation will manufacture and supply piers with fiberglass to the market. However, they will also look at ways of exporting floating piers to the Maldives, he said.

These floating piers are very popular as it is being used as floating restaurants, beer gardens and houses in Maldives and other countries in the world, he said.

Initially they will develop the concept of a Marina in Chilaw and after that they will promote floating piers especially yachts.

For a year more than 800 yachts travel to Maldives via Chilaw.

This is a potential market to provide services to them, he said.

Chairman Cey-Nor Foundation Limited Rohan Jayasinghe said since they are specialised in the fiberglass industry they can promote piers as it is a highly labour intensive industry business could be promoted which in other overseas markets.

In Dubai it costs US$ 10,000 for a yacht to anchor for a month and they could provide services for less than one tenth of that cost, Jayasinghe said.