Colombo Dockyard
Sri Lankan ship building company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 on behalf of clients in Sri Lanka and international markets.
 The logo of Colombo Dockyard | |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| CSE: DOCK.N0000 | |
| ISIN | LK0047N00007 |
| Industry | |
| Founded | August 1, 1974 |
| Headquarters | , Sri Lanka |
| Key people | |
| Products | |
| Services |
|
| Revenue |  LKR9,211 million (2021) |
| LKR318 million (2021) | |
| LKR171 million (2021) | |
| Total assets | LKR24,081 million (2021) |
| Total equity | LKR7,399 million (2021) |
| Owner |
|
Number of employees | 3,000 (2021) |
| Parent | Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Website | www |
| Footnotes [1] | |
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, which is a deep-water harbor.[2]
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.[3]
In 2020 the Colombo Dockyard built Eco bulk carriers for Norwegian Misje Eco Bulk company, Misje subsidiary of Kåre Misje & Co.[4] 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.[5]
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.[6]
Acquisition by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, in its regulatory filing on 27 June 2025, announced its decision to acquire 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.[7] 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.[8][9]
The acquisition worth ₹249.5 crore (US$26 million) was completed by April 2026. The board of Colombo Shipyard was 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.[10][11]
Soon after, the acquisitoin infused $40 million into the dockyard.[12]
Facilities and operation
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Colombo Dockyard operates four graving drydocks, the largest one with a capacity of 125,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT) as well as repair berth facilities. It is accredited with the ISO 9001-2015 quality certification by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance.[13]
Notable Projects
The following ships were known to be made by CD:[14]
- Jayasagara-class patrol craft[15]
- Fisheries Protection Vessel
- Colombo class[16]
- 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[17]
- VARD 7 85m OPV[18]
Clients
Military clients
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
- Orange Marine[19]
