Regulatory framework for boat building and boating industry

Tuesday, 18 March 2025 03:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

EDB and public-private stakeholders in collaborative effort

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has taken a significant step towards fostering the growth of Sri Lanka’s boat building and boating industry by taking initiatives to develop a comprehensive regulatory framework.

This framework aims to enhance the sector’s potential, driving it forward with greater international competitiveness.

To ensure effective understanding and collaboration, the EDB organised awareness creation sessions for both public and private sector stakeholders to provide awareness on the recent gazette notification issued on the regulatory framework.

Boat and ship building is not only a rapidly emerging export sector but also a multi-million dollar industry with the potential to open new economic opportunities for Sri Lanka. With the nation’s capacity to build and operate yachts for chartering and nautical activities, there is a unique opportunity to enhance opportunities in the nautical tourism industry by attracting foreign yachts and visitors to Sri Lankan waters. Activities like whale and dolphin watching, scuba diving, leisure fishing, and water sports provide rich experiences for tourists throughout the year, which will help boost the tourism sector.

However, for the industry to truly succeed, a well-established regulatory framework covering the entire value chain is necessary. Unfortunately, there has been a gap in regulating leisure craft operations and managing the registration of visiting yachts, posing challenges to the industry’s growth.

Therefore, recognising the sector’s potential and the importance of developing this sector, the Government has allocated funds to establish a robust regulatory framework. In collaboration with the line Ministry, the EDB worked with Lloyd’s Register Asia to develop the necessary regulations. This included a series of individual consultations/workshops for the relevant public and private stakeholders in obtaining their views/inputs throughout the process to ensure the development of a comprehensive and effective framework.

After completing the necessary procedural steps, the Merchant Shipping Secretariat, under the Ports and Shipping Ministry, has made arrangements to gazette the regulations under the Merchant Shipping Act, No. 52 of 1971. The Gazette was officially issued on 31 December 2024, under Gazette Nos. 2417/14, 2417/15, and 2417/16.

In an effort to raise awareness and ensure smooth implementation of the new regulations, the EDB organised separate awareness sessions for Government officials and private sector stakeholders on 25 February and 11 March, respectively.

The implementation of these regulations is a vital step in enabling the boat building and boating industry to thrive, contributing significantly to the country’s economic growth and positioning Sri Lanka as a key player in the global maritime industry.

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