German government official visits Hambantota International Port
The Morning: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Berlin, South Asia and Southeast Asia Division Head and Director Tobias Pierlings and a delegation from the German Embassy in Sri Lanka, visited the Hambantota International Port (HIP) last week.
The visit was to explore potential business opportunities in Sri Lanka and assess the capabilities of the Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG).
HIPG Commercial and Marketing Deputy General Manager Bindu Ranasinghe highlighted the growth in RORO, bulk, oil and gas cargoes, as well as the port’s expanding container operations which is primarily aligned with the development of the industrial zone.
“This visit allowed the German delegation to experience firsthand the ongoing developments at the Hambantota International Port. We discussed future opportunities for German businesses, including our planned expansions and significant investments in various sectors including container operations,” said Ranasinghe.
Also discussed was HIP’s rapid development as a commercial hub and the expansion of the cruise sector which opened up doors for so many in this line of business and aligned industries to benefit.
Ranasinghe also brought to their attention, the growth in local employment at the port, which has almost tripled in number, since HIPG took over.
Other members of the German delegation included German Embassy in Colombo Mission Counselor Deputy Head Olaf Malchow, German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka Chief Delegate Marie Antonia von Schönburg, Trade, Development, and Political Affairs Advisor Dharini Daluwatte and Corporate Affairs and Export Promotions Head Malintha Gajanayake.
The visitors were given an overview of the port’s state-of-the-art facilities and had a bird’s eye view of the entire complex from the 12th floor of HIP’s flagship maritime centre building.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s maritime industry, especially the ports, shipping and logistics sectors, has witnessed an expansion in business/investment opportunities. These opportunities vary from direct to indirect development and expansion work in these sectors as well. Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean in close proximity to the international maritime lanes and the strong trade ties enjoyed by the country with many foreign countries have all resulted in the growth in the overall maritime industry. Realizing the growth potential in the sector, the Sri Lankan government has taken steps to uplift and expand the operations and facilities of key ports in the country. This has opened up a host of business/investment opportunities while the overall operational expansion has created opportunities for foreign shipping and logistics businesses to explore the growing business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry.