Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) official said they will table the National Port Master Plan and other related polices and regulations relating to the ports and shipping industry shortly to get the necessary approvals to expedite the ports development activities in Sri Lanka.
SLPA is currently in the process of planning maritime and logistics related policy framework development. Upali de Zoysa, Director- Logistics Solutions at Sri Lanka Ports Authority said so at the launch of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation Project held in Colombo on Wednesday.
Noting that SLPA has embarked on a series of physical and soft infrastructure development activities to develop ports across the country to offer efficient and reliable world class service, he said as part of these plan, the Galle Port will be expanded to establish a yacht marina and this will greatly help tourism in the Galle district.
“In addition, we have plans to call for Expression of Interest (EOI) for port related industries in Trincomalee Port. We have also plans to go forward with West Container Terminal project and also the SLPA has got the green light from the government to develop East Container Terminal of Colombo port. To this end, SLPA is currently in the process of procuring equipment to commence the work of the terminal.
He further said that Colombo Port has been able to become one of the fast growing ports in the world. Total container handling at the Colombo port grew by 8.3 percent to 6.2 million twenty-foot equivalent container units TEUs in 2017 against the 5.7 million TEUs recorded in 2016, and SLPA is expected to handle 6.9 million TEUs by end of this year.
He also noted that Sri Lanka over the past two decades have taken various steps to develop port terminals and other related activities ignoring logistics facilities. Speaking on port development activities in India particularly in the Southern part of India, he said he views these development activities as opportunities not as threats.
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