SLPA inks terminal service agreement with French shipping company
The Morning: The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) signed a Terminal Service Agreement with French shipping company CMA CGM, with the intention of accommodating greater volumes of container cargo within the Colombo Port.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials from both organisations, including Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairperson Admiral Sirimewan Ranasinghe (Retd.), SLPA Managing Director Eng. Ganaka Hemachandra, and SLPA Director – Marketing & Business Development U. Kumara.
Representatives from CMA CGM and its local partner Hayleys Advantis were also present, including CASA Deputy Managing Director and Chairperson Shano Sabar, Country General Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Eric van den Driesen, Head of Operations Pasan Periyapperuma, and Assistant Manager – Operations Romesh Nugera.
CMA CGM, headquartered in Marseille, France, is one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, operating over 650 vessels across more than 160 countries. The company provides container shipping, freight forwarding, and integrated logistics services, and maintains a presence in Sri Lanka through its local operations in partnership with Hayleys PLC. Its services connect Colombo to a broad range of international markets across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia, supporting both direct trade flows and transhipment operations.
OSL take:
While Sri Lanka’s maritime industry is on a steady growth path, the recent agreement signed between the SLPA, and a French shipping company indicates the expanding business/investment opportunities in the industry. With Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean in close proximity to international shipping lanes, the many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed with foreign countries and the increasing business conducive environment in the country, Sri Lanka is on the path to becoming a maritime hub in the region. The ongoing activities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and the overall expansion recorded by key sectors in the industry like ports, shipping and logistics, all indicate the increasing business potential in the country’s maritime industry and related sectors. Given that Sri Lanka has become an emerging business destination with the target of becoming a regional maritime hub, the business/investment opportunities in the maritime industry and related sectors would witness a further expansion as well as promise increased profitability. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260109/Z_1 |