"The test facility is built mainly to check and confirm the pulling capacity of ships including tugs and Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels up to 250 tonnes," the yard said in a statement.
Bollard pull indicates the maximum pulling force a ship such as a tug can exert on another ship or object.[
The facility, built in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority which operates ports, is the first of such high capacity in Sri Lanka, Colombo Dockyard said.
"Although this facility will be used mainly for ships under construction at Colombo Dockyard, the facility could also be hired by other ship owners or shipyards at a nominal fee.
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It said the test facility would be "a requirement and a great asset" when Sri Lanka commences offshore oil and gas exploration activities in the Mannar basin off the north-west coast.
Cairn India is set to drill the first offshore test well in August.
Colombo Dockyard said vessels deployed in the exploration work could be subjected to various