Sri Lanka Ports Authority presents roadmap for future-ready maritime hub
Daily FT: Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Admiral (Retd.) Sirimevan Ranasinghe yesterday underscored the importance of technology adoption, skills development, and strategic international partnerships in positioning the Port of Colombo as a resilient and future-ready maritime hub.
Addressing the Terminal Technology and Trade Engagement (TT&TE) 2026 in Colombo, held under the Colombo Plan Maritime Advisory Programme (MAP), Ranasinghe said the gathering reflected a shared commitment among policymakers, port authorities, terminal operators, technology providers, and international partners to modernise Sri Lanka’s maritime sector.
“This engagement reflects our collective commitment to shaping Sri Lanka into a resilient, modern, and future-ready maritime sector,” he said, noting that collaboration across institutions and borders was now essential for ports seeking to remain globally competitive.
The SLPA Chairman paid particular tribute to the Colombo Plan, describing it as a longstanding partner that has played a significant role in capacity building and infrastructure development within the country’s ports sector. He said the MAP, in particular, has delivered critical training initiatives aimed at enhancing security, efficiency, and productivity.
Among recent highlights, Ranasinghe cited cybersecurity capacity-building programs and specialised support for the Maritime Single Window initiative, both of which he described as increasingly vital as ports become more digital and interconnected.
Ranasinghe said the current engagement provides the country’s maritime sector with a valuable opportunity to directly interact with US-based terminal technology providers, building on discussions initiated at an international conference in Europe in 2025.
“This meeting allows us to explore strategic alliances with US terminal technology providers, while enabling the exchange of knowledge on terminal automation, digitalisation, and advanced operating models,” he said.
Such exposure, he noted, would help Sri Lanka better understand global best practices in managing automated terminals and adapting them to local conditions.
Beyond productivity gains, Ranasinghe highlighted that efficiency improvements must go hand in hand with sustainability objectives, as ports face growing pressure to reduce environmental impact. “It is my firm belief that this will be another meaningful engagement between Sri Lanka and the Colombo Plan in our journey towards becoming a smart, sustainable, and globally competitive maritime hub,” he said.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean close to international maritime lanes, the strong trade ties enjoyed with many foreign countries and the continuously improving business conducive environment in the country have all helped the expansion of the country’s maritime industry. These factors have also helped Sri Lanka move closer to become a maritime hub in the region. The Sri Lankan government is also focused on supporting the country’s path towards becoming a maritime hub and expects the future ready maritime roadmap and the development programmes targeted at uplifting and expanding facilities in the country’s ports, shipping and logistics sectors would enable Sri Lanka’s maritime industry to be on par with the fast-developing global maritime industry. All these factors indicate the overall expansions in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and sectors related to it like ports, shipping and logistics while also presenting many business/investment opportunities that are lucrative ventures for foreign businesses/investors on the lookout for such. Given the growing business potential of the industry, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260212/Z_3 |