COLOMBO, March 18 -- Sri Lanka has introduced new regulations governing boats, yachts, and visiting leisure craft in an effort to streamline operations and boost the country's nautical tourism sector. The Export Development Board (EDB) announced on Monday (17) the regulations were developed in consultation with industry stakeholders and in collaboration with Lloyd's Register Asia.

For years, the absence of a clear regulatory framework had created challenges in managing yacht registration and overseeing leisure craft operations. The Merchant Shipping Secretariat, under the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, has now finalized and gazetted these regulations under the Merchant Shipping Act, No. 52 of 1971.

The new framework addresses key conce...