Sri Lankan authorities look at expanding capacity at Colombo Port to handle more containers
Authorities in Sri Lanka are reportedly looking at expanding the operations of the Colombo Port, which has had the highest container handling growth in the world in 2018 and has now reached its fullest capacity, in order handle more container traffic.
“We are delighted to hear from the new government that measures are being taken to expand capacity to handle more container traffic,” the Chief Delegate of the German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka, Andreas Hergenrother has been quoted as saying at a conference on Sustainable Mobility, Traffic and Public Transport Solutions and Logistics held at Hilton Residences Colombo recently.
This was held alongside the visit of a top level business delegation from the German Industry and Commerce led by Dr. Stephan Hesselmann, Head of Unit Mobility Concept, Transport Policy at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy to discuss business with their Sri Lankan counterparts, local media reports stated.
According to reports, Hergenrother has said that bilateral trade relationship with Sri Lanka is developing progressively.
German companies have been meeting for decades to discuss transport, logistics and mobility and in the field of energy efficiency. “We are confident that there are lots of opportunities for cooperation in the future that needs a reliable framework. A Sri Lankan delegation consisting of energy experts are scheduled to visit Germany in March this year,” he has been quoted as saying in a weekly English newspaper.
Dr. Hesselmann has said that he sees Sri Lanka as a land of opportunity where its geographical position is ideal for transport, business and the logistics side. “The world will be a better place for cooperation with businesses and trade relations are based on personnel meetings with mutual trust.”
Meanwhile, German Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Joern Rohde has said that the Greater Colombo area attracts more people to the city and transport has become a big challenge like in Germany.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s geographical positioning in the Indian Ocean and the many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed by the country have helped the island grow as a logistical and maritime hub in the Indian Ocean. This has also resulted in the expansion of business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s ports/maritime/logistical sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/17022020/Z_8 |