
Sri Lankan yard secures biggest shipbuilding contract to date
Colombo Dockyard, Sri Lanka’s leading shipbuilding and ship repair facility, has secured a contract to construct two advanced cable laying and repair vessels for Orange Marine of France. This agreement represents the largest shipbuilding order ever signed by Colombo Dockyard and further strengthens its reputation as a globally recognised builder of specialised cable vessels.
The two new vessels will be similar to the 100 m Sophie Germain, delivered by Colombo Dockyard to Orange Marine in 2023. Designed by VARD Design of Norway, they will feature an optimised hull form and bow to ensure “excellent” seakeeping and station-keeping performance while reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact.
Built to Bureau Veritas classification standards and compliant with French Flag Authority regulations, the vessels will meet BV CLEANSHIP environmental requirements. Each ship will be approximately 100 m in length, accommodate 76 personnel and feature multiple cable tanks for fibre-optic cable operations, as well as full capabilities for cable laying, repair and ROV inspection missions.
The vessels will be powered by diesel-electric propulsion systems incorporating multiple generator sets, azimuth propulsion units and tunnel thrusters, integrated through advanced automation and power management systems to ensure high manoeuvrability and operational efficiency.
Over the past year Colombo Dockyard has also established itself as a key drydocking and repair hub for specialised cable laying vessels, following the successful drydocking of Ile De Bréhat, owned by Alcatel Submarine Networks and managed by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. Extensive mechanical, equipment, propulsion and accommodation upgrades were completed, followed by further major projects for Ile De Ré and Teneo. A fourth vessel, Ile De A’ix, is currently undergoing repairs at the yard.
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