Aitken Spence launches brand Fiji Ports

Monday, 16 February 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From left: Aitken Spence Maritime and Logistics Chairman/Aitken Spence CEO and Director Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake, Minister of Finance and Public Enterprise Aiyaz Sayed, Fiji Port Terminals Chairman Khaiyum Hashmuk Patel and Aitken Spence Deputy Chairman and Managing Director J.M.S. Brito Aitken Spence-run Ports Terminal Ltd., which operates Fiji’s two main ports has been rebranded as Fiji Ports recently at an event attended by senior government and Aitken Spence officials. Minister of Finance and Public Enterprise Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum who attended the launch commended the efforts by Aitken Spence PLC in honouring the partnership with the Fiji Government by improving services and operations at the two major ports in the country. Aitken Spence entered into a public-private partnership with Fiji Ports Corporation acquiring 51% of the shares in Ports Terminal Ltd in 2013 to oversee the repair and operation of the ports of Suva and Lautoka. Aitken Spence PLC Deputy Chairman and Managing Director J.M.S. Brito and Aitken Spence Maritime and Logistics Chairman and CEO Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake attended the launch. “It has been a wonderful partnership, it has been a wonderful collaboration which has the levy that had been charged on containers coming into Fiji being lifted now which not only has financial benefits for exporters but also for importers,” said Sayed-Khaiyum. “It also came as Government’s faith in Aitken Spence PLC, through the public-private-partnership continues to be vindicated. Enormous achievements have been made by this management company,” he added. “We are pleased to show significant positive results to the Government of Fiji since our investment in the ports of Suva and Lautoka. We are exploring investment opportunities in hotels, power generation, printing and other sectors where we have decades-long experience and expertise,” Brito said. Dr. Dissanayake speaking at the launch reiterated company’s commitment to stakeholders present at the event. “When you have the right product, we can launch a marketing campaign to boost volumes thereby attracting new shipping lines. And when you have more shipping lines, you will have more capacity and when you have more capacity, the freight rates are bound to go low. This would boost exports and imports and generate more employment and enable Fiji to become the hub of the South Pacific,” said Dr. Dissanayake. “In Sri Lanka, we say port is the heart of the nation. And when you have an efficient port blessed with the right location like Fiji’s, you would establish not only a maritime hub but also aviation and a logistics hub,” he added. Aitken Spence PLC is among Sri Lanka’s most dynamic and respected corporate entities with operations in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the South Pacific. Listed in the CSE since 1983, it has major interests in hotels, travel, maritime services, logistics and power generation. The group also has a significant presence in plantations, printing, garments, financial services, insurance and information technology.