The transportation and logistics arm of Hayleys PLC, Hayleys Advantis Limited, entered into a strategic agreement with Sarens Heavy Lift India Pvt Ltd, part of the Belgium-based Sarens Group, a global leader in crane rental and engineered heavy lifting, to collaborate on projects involving the supply and operation of heavy lift cranes and specialised lifting solutions in Sri Lanka and the wider region.
The partnership will establish a Joint Venture in Sri Lanka to invest in and expand crane rental and engineered lifting capabilities, delivering advanced lifting solutions locally while strengthening capacity for large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects across the region.
The first project under this joint venture will be the landmark 50MW Haywind wind power development in Mannar, undertaken by Hayleys Fentons Limited. As Sri Lanka’s largest private sector investment in wind power to date, the project marks a significant milestone in the country’s renewable energy journey and reinforces the growing importance of technical partnerships in delivering complex infrastructure.
Under the collaboration, Advantis and Sarens will jointly manage the specialised operation of transporting and erecting wind turbine generators from the Port of Trincomalee to the project site in Mannar. The movement of out-of-gauge and overweight components requires meticulous route planning, detailed engineering assessments, specialised multi-axle hydraulic trailers and high-capacity crawler cranes for precision installation. To support these operations, Advantis has also invested in new blade adaptor and tower transport trailers, strengthening its capability to safely and efficiently move long blades and heavy tower sections across challenging inland routes, while ensuring global best practices in safety and execution.
By combining Advantis’ strong local project logistics expertise, multimodal transport capabilities and in-country operational experience with Sarens’ global heavy lift engineering knowledge, specialised crane fleet and international wind energy track record, the partnership creates a powerful platform capable of delivering projects of this scale and complexity. Together, the two companies will provide end-to-end solutions from vessel discharge and inland transportation to final turbine installation, ensuring efficiency, safety and technical excellence throughout the project lifecycle.
Commenting on the partnership, Ruwan Waidyaratne, Managing Director of Advantis Group, stated, “This partnership represents a significant step forward in strengthening Sri Lanka’s heavy lift and project logistics capabilities to support large-scale renewable energy and infrastructure development. Securing the Haywind project reflects the confidence placed in the combined strengths of Advantis and Sarens, and highlights our shared commitment to enabling transformative national projects that contribute meaningfully to the country’s long-term growth.”
Atul Gawas, Regional Director (South Asia) of Sarens Heavy Lift India Pvt Ltd., added, “Through this collaboration, we are bringing together Sarens’ global expertise in engineered heavy lifting and advanced crane solutions with Advantis’ strong local execution and logistics capabilities. This partnership establishes a robust platform to support Sri Lanka’s renewable energy ambitions while expanding regional cooperation in delivering complex infrastructure projects.”
Beyond the Haywind project, the joint venture establishes a long-term strategic alliance between Advantis and Sarens to pursue future heavy lift and engineered transport opportunities. By bringing together international heavy-lift innovation and established regional logistics leadership, the partnership is poised to play a meaningful role in advancing infrastructure development in Sri Lanka and across the region.
