Sri Lankan builders make first-time Düsseldorf appearance

The first-ever national stand for Sri Lanka was presented at boot Düsseldorf last week. Supported by the Sri Lankan Board of Investment (BOI), it was occupied by a small number of boatbuilders and a charter company.

The builders displayed information on small motorboats and fishing craft. The stand follows one which took part in the Genoa Boat Show last September and reflects the growing ambitions of Sri Lanka to increasingly promote its boatbuilding sector to international markets.

The charter company was the Sail Lanka Yachting Group (SLYG), which is described as a ‘game changer’ for the global yachting industry and Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. SLYG was formed in 2014 by combining the commercial entities of the Building for a Future Foundation (BAFF) to develop the boating industry in Sr Lanka.

SLYG has three areas of expertise which it is actively applying to expanding the country’s small marine recreational sector. These three areas are boatbuilding, boat chartering and infrastructure in the form of building mini-marinas around the country.

In terms of boatbuilding, Baff Polymech is a BOI company engaged in constructing yachts for operating in Sri Lankan waters plus exporting craft to a number of tropical Asian countries. Five series of boats have been developed including Ceycat, the first leisure yacht brand in the country, and the 26.7m (88ft) Ocean Diamond luxury catamaran which is due for completion anytime.

The Ocean Diamond 27 is a Caycat-branded vessel, the exterior and interior design by Elision Design and naval architecture by Sabrosa Rain and VPLP. This tri-deck catamaran will be used for chartering around Sr Lanka starting this year. The Ocean Diamond offers 10 cabins with guests having access to a private balcony deck.

The catamaran’s upper deck provides an air-conditioned lounge and bar area plus sunbeds for guests to relax. The 10 cabins are distributed over the main and lower decks where crew accommodation for 10 members is also provided.

Of the 10 cabins, eight are located on the main deck and comprise six king-size cabins and two twins. These all have access to the private balcony. The other two cabins are on the lower deck. There are also two massage rooms on board. The Ocean Diamond is propelled by two Baudouin diesels and it also has three generators. The yacht’s roof is equipped with solar panels to help supply energy. For sailing, the vessel boasts a 30m (98.5ft) mast.

Ocean Diamond is classified by Lloyd’s Register and she will be registered under the small class vessel code in Sri Lanka. She was built in a local shipyard operated by Ceycat. The company is a member of the Asia Pacific Superyacht Association.

In addition to the Ocean Diamond, SLYG also has a fleet of eight smaller yachts that are operated as a charter fleet in Sri Lanka. SLYG has also set up partnerships with Iguana Yachts and the French yacht catamaran charterer Ocean Voyager, which is headquartered at La Grande Motte and has shipyards in France and Sri Lanka.