Colombo Dockyard delivered the first ever built 250 passenger cum 100t cargo vessel for the administration of Union Territories of Lakshadweep, India, on 15 January 2010. This vessel is the first one of a series of two ocean-going passenger cum cargo vessels and will be in operation en-route from the mainland (Cochin, India) to the UTL Islands, as well as operating at the inter-island routes. The highlight of this new vessel is that it is designed and built using the latest technological developments, which makes it suitable for the operation in the toughest weather conditions.
The flagging off of the passenger vessel 'Arabian Sea' was ceremonially carried out by Jitendra Kumar Dadoo, the administrator of the Union Territories of Lakshadweep, India. The flagging ceremony was also attended by the high commissioner of India in Sri Lanka, Ashok K Kantha, foreign secretary Mr Romesh Jayasinghe, Mr Mangala Yapa, MD and CEO as well as Mr Akihiko Nakauchi, chairman for Colombo Dockyard. The grand ceremony was witnessed by the proud and dedicated project team headed by Mr Shantha Ratnayake, special projects manager, and the project team who had been engaging tiredlessly in delivering the vessel on schedule.
Throughout the period of construction of the vessel, consultants from the Shipping Corporation of India, the Directorate of Shipping of India and the Merchant Maritime Department, have visited and continuously monitored the progress and carried out numerous inspections according to their set procedures. As an ISO 9001:2000-certified company, Colombo Dockyard with its own superior quality control and quality assurance procedures in place, the company breezed through these stringent quality examinations.
