COLOMBO: The Port City Colombo Marina welcomed the MY Kalizma – The Classic Superyacht, once owned by Hollywood screen idols Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The first Superyacht to sail into the Port City Colombo Marina, established Colombo as a calling port in the Indian Ocean with facilities for berthing luxury Superyachts.
Pierre Pringiers, Chairman of the Sail Lanka Yachting Group which manages the Port City Colombo Marina said, “The 145’ Kalizma – built in 1906 by GL Watson in Scotland – arrived from the Maldives, marking a milestone in the development of Colombo as a Superyacht destination. To see this historic Superyacht berthed at the marina is the fulfilment of a dream for me, and is a fitting tribute to our staff who have efficiently handled the logistics and administrative details. I also want to express my sincere thanks to the officials of the Port City Colombo and the Customs, Immigration, and all the agencies involved. I’m hoping that the arrival of Kalizma will augur well for the success of visiting Superyachts and the opening up of Sri Lanka for cruising and yacht charters – one of the new pillars of the tourism industry.”
MY Kalizma has served in both world wars as part of the British Royal Navy. It was in 1967 that two of Hollywood’s most famous actors, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor chartered the yacht for a cruise on the Mediterranean. They fell in love with the yacht and Burton bought it and gifted it to Taylor. They named the yacht Kalizma, after their three daughters, Kate, Liza and Maria. Between 1974 to 1995 the Kalizma went through a string of owners. In 2019, business magnate Shrish Saraf, one of Asia’s most influential people in private equity, bought the Kalizma. In 2020, the Kalizma, known as the Orient Express of the seas, was taken back to the bare hull and underwent a comprehensive refit. The interiors were completely redone, the exterior woodwork and everything right down to the paint was replaced. Extensive engineering work was undertaken, with new internal systems installed.
Aashim Mongia, Managing Director of West Coast Marine Yacht Services in India who manage the yacht said, “MY Kalizma has been cruising the Indian Ocean region through the last season. The opening of the Port City Colombo Marina is a boon for Superyachts that visit the region, and hopefully we will see more Superyachts coming into the Indian Ocean Region for nautical tourism. We are thankful to the Sri Lankan authorities, the Sail Lanka Yachting Group and the management of Port City Colombo, for their assistance in making MY Kalizma’s visit a success. With this first visit we are hoping to bring more yachts to Sri Lanka to explore the untapped potential that the island nation has to offer.”
The Port City Colombo Marina is expected to be one of the region’s most modern and largest international yacht marinas. When it is fully operational, it is expected to have the facility to anchor 200 yachts and become one of the largest such venues in the region. It is also expected to have a mini yacht repair facility, duty-free terminal, customs and facilities for several other maritime related businesses.
Sail Lanka Yachting Group, founded in 2014 by Mr. Pierre Pringiers, operates a fleet of 10 luxury catamarans around the island (www.sail-lanka-charter.com) and has been designing manufacturing boats and developing marine infrastructure and boats for export since 2008. Sail Lanka Yachting Group is also now managing the Port City Colombo Marina operations.
