Text and pictures by PRIYAN  DE SILVA

Danusha Marine’s state of the art boat yard built with an investment of Rs. 300 million at Payagala was declared open by the Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Shipping U. D. Jayalal yesterday morning .

The yard was completed early this year, but it was not possible to have an opening ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the management was compelled to commence operations to meet delivery deadlines and the  first 20 meter multi day fishing vessel ‘FV OCEAN HARVEST’  built at the yard for Ocean Harvest Ltd of Mauritius was also launched yesterday.

The 2,500-square-metre boat yard situated on a three acre land at Diyalagoda Payagala has modern equipment and technology used in boat manufacturing and has capacity to build three 24 meter boats concurrently.

Managing Director of Danusha Marine Pvt. Ltd., and Danusha Group Sumithra Fernando recalled the beginning of his venture on a ten-perch block of land in Moratuwa with Rs, 5,000 in his pocket two decades back and said that the new yard at Payagala which was his fourth was expected to bring in over USD 1 million into the country in the first year and USD 3 million from the second year onwards.

Mahen Sookun Managing Director of Ocean Harvest Ltd owner of the first vessel built at the yard, addresing the audience via Internet said that he had selected Danusha Marine because of the facilities they had and the sincerity of MD Sumithra Fernando.

Danusha Fernando, Directress of Danusha Marine welcomed the invitees while  Indira Malwatta former Chairperson of the Export Development Board, who supported the setting up of the boatyard, Secretary to the Ministry of Warehouse Facilities,  Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boat and Shipping Industry Development D.D. Mataraarachchi,   Director General Department of Fisheries Prasanna Ginige and Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Shipping U D Jayalal addressed the occasion 

Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda,  Minister of Ports and Shipping  Rohitha Abeygunawardena, State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish & Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multi day Fishing Activities and Fish Exports Kanchana Wijesekera,      State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development,  Jayantha Samaraweera  who accepted the invitation to attend the opening ceremony did not attend  due to urgent commitments at Parliament.