Sri Lanka woos UK Dover Port Marina to Colombo Port City

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the UK Rohitha Bogollagama, and Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC ) Chairman and Board of Investment (BOI) Chairman Dinesh Weerakkody, together with Minister (Commercial) of the High Commission Somasena Mahadiulwewa and the representatives from private sector of Sri Lanka, paid a visit to Dover Port Marina in the UK on 31 May.  

Port of Dover Chief Executive Doug Bannister, led a guided tour of the Dover Port Marina facility, coordinated by British-Sri Lankan entrepreneur and Marina Hotel Dover President K. Rajaseelan.

The Port of Dover boasts facilities for ferries, handling cruises and cargo, and the Dover Marina. This marina opened in 2021, provides a large new outdoor space for the public to enjoy in Dover, transforming the waterfront with entertainment and world-class food stalls for everyone.

The visit focused on promoting investment in the Colombo Port City and marina development projects in Sri Lanka. Discussions centred on seeking technical cooperation and potential investment collaborations in marina development between Sri Lanka and the Port of Dover, the world’s largest passenger port, which handles 50,000 daily passengers and over 10 million annual passengers, contributing £ 140 billion annually to the UK’s GDP.

Discussions also focused on developing Sri Lanka’s port cities and marinas in Galle Port, Trincomalee, and Talaimannar, which resemble Dover Port. There is significant potential for ferry and yacht marina development in Sri Lanka in collaboration with Dover Marina. This will facilitate close connectivity between Sri Lanka, India, and the Indian subcontinent.

Following the Dover Marina visit, High Commissioner Bogollagama and Chairman Weerakkody visited Dover Marina Hotel in the UK, owned by K. Rajaseelan. Discussions with Rajaseelan and his business partners focused on investment collaborations in marina development in Sri Lanka and the hotel sector in the UK.

Rajaseelan has already committed to several investment projects in Sri Lanka with the support of the Sri Lanka High Commission in London.

The visit was also part of Sri Lanka’s investment promotion in the UK, in line with the “Sri Lanka Drives” initiative led by High Commissioner Bogollagama.