Sri Lankan minister says government engaged in transforming country into maritime hub in the region
Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Minister of Sri Lanka Sagala Ratnayaka has said recently that in view of the country’s recovery from the Easter Sunday explosions, the government had embarked on ambitious plans to transform Sri Lanka into a vibrant maritime hub in the region.
The Minister has made this observation at the opening of the Sri Lanka Pavilion at the Transport Logistics Fair 2019 in Germany last week.
Ratnayaka has reportedly said the heads of our security forces had assured the government that nearly 99% of these groups have been dismantled.
“The country is fast returning to normalcy. Businesses have begun to operate as usual, while the tourism industry is witnessing a recovery,” he has noted.
“It is with this recovery in mind that we are striving to transform Sri Lanka into a maritime and logistics hub, tapping into the vast potential of our industry. Central to Sri Lanka’s ambitious goal of becoming a vibrant maritime hub in the South Asian region, its strategic location along the main east-west sea route in the Indian Ocean, at the crossroads of the fastest growing region of the world and in proximity to many emerging markets,” the Minister has further stated.
Ratnayaka has added, “Colombo is the chosen destination for global carriers to serve global clients in South Asia – connecting the Indian subcontinent via Sri Lanka. This increases shipping options to all continents and global players by offering faster connectivity.
“According to the Alphaliner rankings, the Port of Colombo has ranked the ‘Fastest Growing Container Port’ out of the 30 major ports in the world during the first half of 2018. It was an exciting moment for the maritime sector of Sri Lanka, as it was the first time the Port of Colombo reached the top of a global maritime ranking.”
“While acknowledging the growth we had achieved in terms of numbers, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority has also focused on fast-tracking strategic decisions pertaining to the expansion of the Colombo Port’s capacity. Only such decisions, in my view, would ensure that our growth is sustainable.”
According to the Minister, the strategic location of the Hambantota International Port, provides advantages, not just for the shipping industry, but also for the import/export business in general, as the port could offer comparatively shorter timelines, coupled with effective and experienced handling.
OSL take:
The government of Sri Lanka has been working towards the country achieving maritime hub status in the Indian Ocean. There have been many development programmes taking place targeting the country’s maritime and shipping sectors. Sri Lanka’s geographical positioning in the Indian Ocean is already to the advantage of the country’s ports and shipping sectors. Colombo is already the chosen destination for global carriers to serve clients in South Asia. Therefore, foreign businesses/investors could explore the option of setting up business bases in Sri Lanka while also exploring the possibilities of venturing into the maritime industry using Sri Lanka as the base.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/10062019/Z_8 |