Sri Lanka's Colombo Dockyard said it was getting ready to deliver a passenger craft built for an Indian customer by year's end and that its repair business had shifted to focus on specialized vessels from tankers.

The yard was preparing to deliver MV Arabian Sea a 250 passenger vessel; the first of a pair ordered by India's Administration of Union Territories of Lakshadweep.

The vessel, the biggest hull built by the yard, is meant for operation in all weathers on the route from the Indian mainland to the Lakshadweep Islands as well as inter-island routes.

The second of the pair which can also carry 100 tonnes of cargo is scheduled to be delivered in early 2010.

Colombo Dockyard a unit of Japan's Onomichi Dockyard also said its three drydocks dedicated for repairs have been focusing more on repairing specialized vessels like dredgers and offshore support vessels in recent months.

(Sourced from www.lankabusinessonline.com)