Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC) is a ship building company based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The company specializes in the construction of both military and civilian vessels, catering to clients in Sri Lanka as well as international markets.
History
Colombo Dockyard, established its operations in 1974 and is one of Sri Lanka's engineering facilities in the business of ship repair, ship building, heavy engineering and offshore engineering. It is situated within the Port of Colombo, thus having the benefits of a deep-water harbor.[2]
In November 2024, the financial crisis of Colombo Dockyard PLC was announced. This was followed by the resignation of its two Japanese directors on 6 December while the Sri Lankan directors remained. The company, with assistance from the Government of Sri Lanka, then sought a strategic investor to purchase the 51% stake from Japan's Onomichi Dockyard Co. Ltd. and also support a rights issue to raise $30 million following an open process through the Sri Lankan embassies. Around 40 expressions of interest (EoIs) were received in response from which five were eventually shortlisted.[3]
Acquisition
2025
The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, in its regulatory filing on 27 June 2025, announced its decision of acquisition of a controlling (51%) stake in Sri Lankan peer Colombo Dockyard in a deal worth up to ₹450 crore (US$52.96 million) in order to grow its shipbuilding and repair business. The transaction will be completed within six months following which the Sri Lankan shipbuilder will become a part of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.[4] At the end of November 2024, Japan’s Onomichi Dockyard exited its majority stake in Colombo Dockyard. Following this, Colombo reportedly sought New Delhi’s assistance in encouraging Indian investment to avoid default. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd was subsequently shortlisted due to its shipbuilding experience and financial capability.[5][6]
2026
The acquisition worth inr 2495000000 was completed by April 2026. The board of Colombo Shipyard has already been re-constituted with MDL members with effect from 7 April with the Captain Jagmohan, IN (Retd), CMD, MDL being appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman.[7][8]
2025
The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, in its regulatory filing on 27 June 2025, announced its decision of acquisition of a controlling (51%) stake in Sri Lankan peer Colombo Dockyard in a deal worth up to ₹450 crore (US$52.96 million) in order to grow its shipbuilding and repair business. The transaction will be completed within six months following which the Sri Lankan shipbuilder will become a part of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.[4] At the end of November 2024, Japan’s Onomichi Dockyard exited its majority stake in Colombo Dockyard. Following this, Colombo reportedly sought New Delhi’s assistance in encouraging Indian investment to avoid default. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd was subsequently shortlisted due to its shipbuilding experience and financial capability.[5][6]
2026
The acquisition worth inr 2495000000 was completed by April 2026. The board of Colombo Shipyard has already been re-constituted with MDL members with effect from 7 April with the Captain Jagmohan, IN (Retd), CMD, MDL being appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman.[7][8]
Facilities and operation
Colombo Dockyard operates four graving drydocks, the largest one with a capacity of as well as repair berth facilities. It is accredited with the ISO 9001-2015 quality certification by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance.[9]
Colombo Dockyard has operated in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Japan since 1993- the collaboration's twenty-year anniversary was celebrated on March 26, 2013.[10]
In 2020 the Colombo Dockyard built Eco bulk carriers for Norwegian Misje Eco Bulk company, Misje subsidiary of Kåre Misje & Co.[11] Colombo Dockyard also built Buoy Tender Vessels to sell to ports of Iraq through Toyota Tsusho Corporation of Japan. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) helped with this project.[12]
Notable Projects
The following ships were known to be made by CD:[13]
- Jayasagara-class patrol craft[14]
- Fisheries Protection Vessel
- Colombo class[15]
- Coastal surveillance vessel
- Fire fighting vessel
- 29 M Landing Craft
- Fast Landing Craft
- 35&40 Meter Fisheries Protection Vessel
- 65 Ton Bollard Pull Tug
- Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel (80 Ton Bollard Pull)
- Passenger Vessels (250 Passengers)
- Passenger Vessels (400 Passengers)
- Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessel
- Fast Patrol Vessel
- Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel (130 Ton Bollard Pull)
- VARD 9-01 111.3m Undersea Cable Laying Vessel[16]
- VARD 7 85m OPV[17]
Clients
Military clients
- Sri Lanka Coast Guard
- Maldivian Coast Guard
International clients
- Bourbon 🇫🇷
- Columbia Shipmanagement (Singapore)
- Dredging Corporation of India 🇮🇳
- Dredging International 🇧🇪
- Eurobulk
- GOL Offshore 🇮🇳
- The Greatship Group 🇮🇳
- Hyundai Engineering & Construction
- Kotoku Kaiun 🇯🇵
- Maersk
- Mercator 🇮🇳
- Safety Management Overseas
- Shipping Corporation of India 🇮🇳
- Pakistan National Shipping Corporation 🇵🇰
- Sinochem Shipping 🇨🇳
- Tanker Pacific
- Thome
- Tide Water 🇺🇸
- Titan Fleet Management 🇫🇷
- Van Oord
External links
References
- Annual Report 2021 cse.lk, Colombo Dockyard PLC, retrieved 19 June 2022^
- Port of Colombo^
- Naresh Bana. Reviving Sri Lanka’s maritime edge BusinessLine, 2025-07-11, retrieved 2025-08-17^
- India's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to buy controlling stake in Colombo Shipyard Reuters, 2025-06-28, retrieved 2025-06-29^
- Meera Srinivasan. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to buy controlling stake in Colombo Dockyard The Hindu, 2025-06-28, retrieved 2025-06-29^
- Shubhajit Roy. Behind Mazagon Dock's Lanka deal: Eye on China, Colombo bailout plea The Indian Express, 2025-06-29, retrieved 2025-06-29^
- Mazagon Dock acquires 51% stake in Colombo Dockyard for Rs 249.5 crore in first international acquisition The Economic Times, 2026-04-11, retrieved 2026-04-12^
- Mazagon Dock acquires 51% stake in Colombo Dockyard for Rs 249.5 crore in first international acquisition The Economic Times, 2026-04-11, retrieved 2026-04-13^
- COLOMBO DOCKYARD AWARDED ISO 9001: 2015 CERTIFICATIONS BY LLOYD'S REGISTER QUALITY ASSURANCE (LRQA), UK. Colombo Dockyard, cdl.lk, retrieved 25 November 2017^
- COLOMBO DOCKYARD PLC - EDB Sri Lanka www.srilankabusiness.com, retrieved 2022-02-22^
- Colombo Dockyard to build six Eco bulk carriers for Norwegian firm - Adaderana Biz English Adaderana Biz English, 2020-08-18, retrieved 2020-11-14^
- Colombo Dockyard PLC Launches the Buoy Tender Vessel Being Built For General Company for Ports of Iraq through Toyota Tsusho Corporation of Japan Adaderana Biz English, 2020-07-24, retrieved 2020-11-14^
- dl.lib.mrt.ac.lk^
- SLNS 'Jayasagara' decommissioned Daily News, retrieved 2023-04-26^
- Shamindra Ferdinando. Navy obtains Ultra Fast Attack Craft from Dockyard Ltd. island.lk, retrieved 15 January 2022^
- VARD designs new cable lay vessel for Kokusai Cable Ship Co. Ltd in Japan - VARD www.vard.com, retrieved 2019-03-19^
- Colombo Dockyard to get US$180mn Sri Lanka patrol vessel deal www.economynext.com, retrieved 2019-03-19^