SLPA Chief says several key initiatives, much progress made in past six months

SLPA Chairman Dr. Lakdas Panagoda

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has declared that since January this year there has been much progress with significant achievements in the maritime sector.

“I am pleased to say that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority managed to undertake several policy initiatives since January this year and made much progress with significant achievements in the past six months,” SLPA Chairman Dr. Lakdas Panagoda told the 80th Annual General Meeting

of The Import Section of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake was the Chief Guest.

According to him, key initiatives included SLPA Board approvals and in some cases cabinet approvals to implement important long term plans.

He listed the completion of the East Container Terminal by SLPA or as a joint venture with an International Terminal Operator with SLPA holding majority share; tender procedure for supply of equipment for the East Container Terminal; the process of development and implementation of an ISO 9001 Quality Management System at JCT to be completed in August 2015; engagement with international bunker operators to manage and operate the Hambantota Tank Farm on PPP basis; engagement of an international Ro-Ro operator on PPP basis for the vehicle transhipment at Hambantota and Conversion of BQ terminal to a fully-fledged International Cruise Terminal.

Other measures were implementing the 24 hour operation with the cooperation of Sri Lanka Customs and Process of establishing an industrial zone at Hambantota. 

“I must thank the Minister of Ports and Shipping and the Minister of Finance for their support and the commitment that made it all possible,” the SLPA Chief said.

“We want to see that Sri Lanka becomes the maritime hub of the region. With its strategic positioning and the resourcefulness Sri Lanka has the potential to do extremely well in the international arena,” Dr. Panagoda emphasised.

During his speech, the SLPA Chief also noted each business has its own style, working practices, aims, issues etc. but what is common to all is the need to achieve and improve profitability. “Needless to say that a good business would look at ways in which to expand further; in the process, you would not only be successful yourself but also very importantly, you would contribute to the economic development of the country,” he added. 

New container scanning system for Customs

Sri Lanka Customs plans to implement a container scanning system to efficiently screen the import containers as the current scanners are about eight years old and are subject to frequent repairs.

As Sri Lanka Customs processes an average of about 1,100 import containers per day, currently only about 10-15% of randomly selected containers are subjected to x-ray scanning using the department-owned scanners, which are old and subject to frequent repairs.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has proposed to establish a modern container scanning system with the view of improving the efficiency and productivity of Sri Lanka Customs in the 2015 Budget proposals.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal made by the Minister to implement the container scanning system through a partnership with the private sector, considering the requirement of human resources, cost of equipment and maintenance of equipment of this nature.