Keep Abreast With the Exports and Exporters in Sri Lanka

The final workshop on National Port Master Plan (NPMP) organised together with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) was held last week at Hotel Kingsbury, Colombo with a large gathering of local and foreign professionals.

A meeting was convened recently by the Hon. Malik Samarawickarama, Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade (MoDSIT), to discuss the progress of the Logistics Strategy of the National Export Strategy.  Mr. S T Kodikara, Secretary of MoDSIT, Mr. J M Thilakaratne Banda, Addl. Secretary of Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation (MoTCA), Mr. Dhammika Ranatunga, Chairman – Airport & Aviation Services Ltd (AASL), Mrs. Indira Malwatte, Chairperson & CE of Sri Lanka Export Development Board(EDB),  Mr. Upali de Zoysa, Addl. Managing Director of Sri Lanka Ports Authority(SLPA) participated at the meeting along with the officials from the Ministry of Ports & Shipping and Southern Development. The Minister commended the participants on their commitment to the national endeavor to implement the Logistics Sector Strategy of NES.

A full-scale IT infrastructure drive is currently underway to transform Colombo — Sri Lanka’s busiest port — into a ‘smart port,’ Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka has announced. “Transforming Colombo into a ‘smart port’is a timely need,” the Minister said, adding that Rs. 929 million had been allocated for the project, which has been included in the Asian Development Bank-supported master plan for Sri Lanka’s port development. Ratnayaka said Colombo’s transformation into a smart port would ensure the development of a collaborative approach that would make the port smart in terms of flow, situation or customer management.

The National Export Strategy (NES) is progressing in the right direction. It has six focused areas and is expected to provide the impetus for the export drive supporting economic growth, Chairperson of the Export Development Board (EDB), Indira Malwatte said.

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) won the Ports Authority of the Year 2019 Award by the Global Ports Forum (GPF) for the second consecutive year at the GPF awards ceremony 2019 followed by the conference forum held at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Deira, in the United Arab Emirates on 20 February.

Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka yesterday assured that all maritime development plans will be accelerated, while outlining some of the key projects in progress.

Sri Lanka’s new national policy for its maritime and logistics sectors foresees reduced dependence on Indian container transshipment cargo, Colombo port’s main business for years, given changes in shipping services and emerging competition from other ports.

Sri Lanka’s merchandise and service exports in 2018 are estimated to have hit an all-time high of $ 17 billion, up 15% from a year earlier prompting the Government to be confident of achieving the $20 billion milestone this year.

Marking a major milestone, the Port of Colombo handled its seven millionth TEU yesterday, 31 December.

A special function was held at the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to celebrate the handling of the seven million mark. The function was attended by Minister of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Sagala Rathnayake and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Secretary and Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake. 

Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) yesterday announced a significant equipment addition that will enhance the terminal’s deep water capacity and make Colombo one of the few ports in Asia capable of handling vessels of 22,000 + TEUs. The Company said the enhancement encompasses the addition of two new mega Quay Gantry Cranes (QGCs), six new Rubber-tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs) and 12 Prime Movers, and is planned for completion by March 2019. CICT’s existing QGCs are the biggest gantry cranes in the Indian Subcontinent region, and the addition of two even larger twin-lift QGCs from Zhenhua Port Machinery Company (ZPMC), a global leader in quayside container cranes, will further strengthen the Port of Colombo’s hub status, the Company said.

One of the largest project logistics companies in India, NTC Logistics started their operations in Sri Lanka last week with a joint venture partner Eagle Logistics.

The State-owned Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) witnessed the highest growth of 23.3% in transhipment container throughput for the first nine months (from January to September) in 2018, as against the corresponding period in 2017. During the first nine months of 2018, the transhipment volume handled by Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) reached 1,445,424 TEUs, compared to 1,172,542 TEUs handled for the same period in 2017.

Leading global logistics provider Expolanka Freight (Pvt) Ltd (EFL) won the award for Highest Foreign Exchange Earner - Logistics Services at the recently held Presidential Export Awards 2017/2018.

The 22nd Presidential Export Awards Ceremony was held to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the Exporters at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, on September 18, 2018, under the patronage of His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena the President of Sri Lanka.

Following is the address by Minister Malik Samarawickrama at the Presidential Export Awardson 18 September 

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in association with the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, Department of Commerce and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board will be organising Sri Lanka Investment and Business Conclave 2018 from 19 to 21 June for the third consecutive year at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Situated on a key East-West trade route and set close to India, Sri Lanka possesses the essential locational advantage to become a key logistics hub in South Asia. It’s potential to become an important transshipment hub in the region, a site where many shipping lines consolidate and de-consolidate cargo for transshipment to other destinations.

The Shippers’ Academy Colombo (SAC) in association with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has launched a new corporate quiz for the ExIm & Logistics Trophy for the first time.

Sri Lanka’s economy needs to transform itself to ensure that the nation’s aspirations to reach higher middle income status by the year 2020 are met and achieved. This transformation can take place by introducing innovative and radical changes to Sri Lanka’s current economic development model.

The EDB conducted a Forum on Entrepót Trade with the participation of a large number of traders/exporters and others engaged in the Entrepót trade. Sri Lanka Logistics & Freight Forwarders’ Association (SLFFA), Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council (SLSC), Shippers Academy Colombo and several public sector institutions relevant to the trade including Sri Lanka Customs, Ports Authority and BOI collaborated with EDB in organizing the Entrepót Traders’ Forum held at EDB Auditorium on 13th July 2017.