Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
Wednesday, 25 December 2024 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved establishing a Committee tasked with streamlining the container clearance system at the Colombo Port.
This committee chaired by the Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister will focus on implementing measures to improve efficiency and reduce delays in the release of containers.
The Colombo Port operates four container terminals, with two privately owned and managed by the Government. Each terminal handles between 5,000-10,000 containers daily, including re-exports. Customs officers determine which containers need to be inspected at the exit gates and conduct a physical scan of the containers.
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday said various issues have arisen in the clearance process in the past, resulting in an increased number of containers being inspected by Customs officials daily.
“A rise in the number of containers being inspected daily due to various clearance issues and uptick in the number of ships docking at the Port resulted in higher container volumes. These factors have contributed to congestion and delays in the container release process impacting the efficiency and logistics timelines,” he explained at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing.
