CES contributes $ 1m annually to national economy

By Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Colombo Engineering Services Private Limited (CES), a fully integrated, ultra-modern ship repairing facility which is strategically located within the port of Colombo contributes $ 1 m annually to the national economy . The company has won 43 awards for business excellence since 1993 to date, Managing Director, Colombo Engineering Services, Kiran Atapattu said.

Kiran Atapattu

This pursuit for excellence is the only way to achieve the highest standards and will continue to succeed he said.

CES, a premier ship repair company is a major foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka. Providing dry dock and 'at sea' repairs to vessels. CES has earned a reputation of being reliable and efficient, among international shippers plying these routes.

"Today time is money". A vessel in the dry dock or not sailing is a huge loss to its owner. So it is our job to see that these vessels are seaworthy in the shortest possible time. This is where CES has scored big. Our efficiency has given us a worldwide reputation as a place that will handle any repair quickly and reliably," Atapattu said.

This was possible because of the modern equipment that is at our disposal. Having facilities in Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee makes it convenient for shippers to avail themselves of these facilities.

Maintaining high standards has its rewards, financially as well as the recognition it. CES has to date won five Presidential awards, 12 'Exporter of the Year' awards and 26 'Business Excellence' awards.

He said that he first won a national excellence award in 1993, as the Most Outstanding Young Professional of the Year and since then the company has won awards in all the events organised by various chambers and associations. He said that these awards encourage him to invest more and now he is exploring the possibility of setting up a facility in Hambantota for ship repairing and other services.

"New opportunities have emerged for local businessmen and I see tremendous potential in Hambantota emerging as a major business district, thanks to the initiatives of the government," he said.

He said that with a construction boom evident in the country, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has tapped MTD Walkers, a major player in the piling and road construction sector. "I invested over Rs. 38 m and bought one million shares of this company and hope to acquire more shares in the future," he said.

Colombo Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd, has fully-equipped marine engineering facilities for ship repair work, the most modern technology and equipment for underwater services and backed by a fleet of high-powered crafts to respond to requirements in the high seas. It is also geared to carry any ship repair work in the new harbour in Hambantota.