Sri Lanka and Singapore to strengthen cooperation in maritime, ports and aviation sectors
Ada Derana: High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore Senarath Dissanayake met with Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance of Singapore Chee Hong Tat, recently and discussed potential collaboration between the two countries on shared initiatives.
During the meeting, High Commissioner Dissanayake provided an overview of the opportunities in Sri Lanka, particularly in the maritime and port development sectors. He detailed the Sri Lankan government’s plans to transform Colombo Port into a green and eco-friendly port by 2030, focusing on renewable energy sources and in line with the principles of a blue ocean economy.
Minister Chee Hong Tat highlighted Singapore’s efforts in maritime decarbonization and digitalization, aimed at enhancing efficiency, resilience, and sustainability in international shipping. He emphasized the importance of a global network of ports using cleaner fuels to achieve these goals. The Minister added that ports in several countries, including China, Japan and Australia, are already part of the Green-Digital Shipping Corridor programme.
In response, the High Commissioner expressed interest in joining Colombo Port in Singapore’s Green-Digital Shipping Corridor initiative and acknowledged the potential for collaboration. The Minister assured that he would explore the feasibility of a partnership between Sri Lanka and Singapore ports.
In addition, Minister Chee suggested that Sri Lanka could explore the possibility of producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), leveraging its renewable energy potential. SAF represents a promising opportunity for the aviation industry, aligning with global sustainability goals.
High Commissioner Dissanayake, acknowledging Singapore’s advanced technological capabilities and innovative standards, requested support for training and knowledge transfer for Sri Lankan officials in the port and aviation sectors. Recognizing the importance of exchanging expertise and fostering stronger ties in these key areas, the Minister mentioned that Sri Lanka could benefit from training programmes offered by various Singaporean authorities, including the Singapore Aviation Academy, the Maritime Training Facility and the Maritime Port Authority.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka is currently in the process of further strengthening its bilateral and trade ties with foreign countries as part of its ambitious plan to become a hub in the South Asian region. All these indicate an expansion in business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. The growth and business potential of the country is evident by the increasing business confidence in Sri Lanka by foreign businesses/investors as well as foreign governments to collaborate with Sri Lanka. Foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka while also looking at setting up base in Sri Lanka to engage with other countries in the region using the preferential treatment enjoyed by Sri Lanka with other countries.