Sri Lanka, Belgium hold talks to boost port cooperation
Daily Mirror: The Sri Lanka Embassy in Belgium, in collaboration with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International (PoABI), organised a two-day fact-finding visit for a delegation from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) on June 23 and 24.
The initiative is aimed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the port and maritime sectors between Sri Lanka and Belgium.
The visit was part of an ongoing partnership dialogue initiated by the Embassy in mid-2024, intended to build stronger ties between the Colombo Port and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the second-largest port in Europe.
The SLPA delegation included Deputy Harbour Master (Trincomalee) T.K.G.L. Hemachandra, Sriyantha Arampath and H.B.A. Subhashini.
During their visit, the delegation held discussions with senior officials of PoABI and the Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center (APEC). Talks also involved Luc Arnouts, Vice President of International Relations & Networks at the Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority. Both parties began preliminary discussions on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote cooperation in areas such as information exchange, reciprocal visits, logistics, technical expertise sharing, investment collaboration and initiatives in port digitalisation and innovation.
The programme included site visits to key facilities, including the DP World Antwerp Gateway terminal where the delegation observed modern terminal automation operations and the CMB TECH Hydrogen Refueling Station in Antwerp.
The two-day programme offered the SLPA officials valuable insights into the operational and technological capabilities of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
The visit further strengthened relations and laid the groundwork for closer cooperation between the two ports in the future.
Among those who joined the meetings and visits were Achille Sobry, Associate Manager-Regional Lead Indian Subcontinent at PoABI; Ken Houtevelts, APEC Training Executive-Key Account Indian Subcontinent; Thavishya Mullegamgoda, Minister Commercial of the Sri Lanka Embassy and Monique De Decker-Deprez, Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Antwerp.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and related sectors have shown a steady growth while creating many business/investment opportunities. The country’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean and the many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed by Sri Lanka with many other countries have added to Sri Lanka’s growth in the maritime industry and related sectors like ports, shipping and logistics. Given the increasing global trade tensions and the exploration of new markets by many foreign markets. There has been an increasing focus on trade, logistics and port sectors resulting in the creation of new business/investment opportunities in the maritime industry. While Sri Lankan authorities are engaged in developing and expanding the country’s ports, shipping and maritime sectors, it has created many business/investment opportunities covering many key areas including the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities to the adoption of the latest technologies in the global maritime industry to meet the increasing demand. It is in such a backdrop that Sri Lanka and Belgium are looking at boosting port cooperation. This move is also indicative of the growth and business potential of Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and related sectors. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore explore the existing and new opportunities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250709/Z_6 |