Master Divers create history:
Major underwater ship repair executed
Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI
A major underwater repair to a foreign ship was carried out in Sri
Lanka by Master Divers (Pvt) Ltd recently, Chairman, Master Divers (Pvt)
Ltd. A. Wickramanayake told Daily News Business.
The 300 metre long container carrier sailed to its couintry of
origin last week after repairs |
He said that the ship Maersk ran aground outside the Colombo harbour
and all the fibre lathes of the propellers were damaged and the vessel
did not sail out of Colombo.
Master Divers was called in by the owners and the entire hull and
propellers were found to be damaged.
As the Colombo harbour was fully occupied, the damaged ship was taken
to the Trincomalee harbour for repairs and a substantial amount of
foreign exchange was earned by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority for using
the Trincomalee harbour for the repairs.
The job was done to the satisfaction of the Classification Society.
The 300 metre long container carrier sailed to its country of origin
last week after repairs.
Wickramanayke said that ship repairs and other services for ships in
Sri Lanka is a major foreign exchange earner and the authorities should
take steps to make use of this valuable resource.
The Colombo and Trincomalee harbours and the Hambantota harbour which
will be completed in due course will create many opportunities and the
authorities must be prepared for it, he said.
This is the first time that such a major underwater ship repair was
carried out in the sea - a world-class underwater ship repair,
Wickramanayake said. |