Dockyard commissions Bollard Pull Test in Trincomalee

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

The Colombo Dockyard, commissioned a 250 tonne Bollard Pull Test Facility in Trincomalee recently. Colombo Dockyard Managing Director Mangala Yapa said they commissioned this Test Facility in Clappenburg Point, China Bay Trincomalee.

He said this is the first facility of such high capacity in Sri Lanka and it will be used mainly for ships under construction at the Colombo Dockyard. But it could also be hired by other ship owners, shipyards at a nominal fee.

The facility has been set up in an environmentally friendly manner, maintaining minimal damage to the natural resources and eco-system.

This test facility would be a requirement and a great asset, when Sri Lanka commences offshore oil and gas exploration activities in the Mannar basin, in the near future and will add value to the location as, vessels deployed in the exploration work could be subjected to various tests and trials using this facility.

Yapa said the test facility is built mainly to check and confirm the pulling capacity of ships including Tugs and Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels, upto 250 tonnes.

The natural deep waters of Trincomalee provides the necessary depth and other optimum conditions to achieve accurate bollard pull test results.

Colombo Dockyard identified this as an urgent requirement to the Sri Lankan shipbuilding industry and as an ancillary facility for the exploration works and initiated to build it in close collaboration with Sri Lanka Ports Authority.