Lanka gets new excavation vessel

Ridma Dissanayake

The Japanese government will grant a new excavation vessel to Sri Lanka.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will hand over the excavation vessel to the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation (CFHC) by 2015. The vessel is valued at around Rs 1,300 million.

The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry and the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation signed an agreement with JICA regarding the new excavation vessel.

The special excavation vessel has 300 meters of hopper capacity. Its length will be around 50 meters and width 11.5 meters.

The CFHC has only one excavation vessel. It is named Ruhunu Putha and has been in use for over 25 years.

JICA made arrangements to provide a new excavation vessel following discussions with CFHC General Manager G G P Abeysekara.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry Secretary Dr Damitha de Soysa, CFHC Chairman Upali Liyanage, General Manager Abeysekara and JICA members were present at the agreement signing ceremony at the ministry.