Category: Shipping and Transport

Dec 30, 2008 (LBO) – Evergreen Line has said it has introduced a new feeder service with Singapore-based Sea Consortium linking Sri Lanka’s Colombo port with ports in India and Pakistan. A statement from the shipping line, operated by Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine Corporation, said the Arabian Express Service (ASX) offers a weekly rotation. The ships […]

Dec 30, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has completed dredging of the northern entrance to Colombo port, senior SLPA officials said. Port users have said such navigation restrictions cause congestion in the harbour, resulting in delays in cargo handling and turning around container ships. The SLPA has tested sonar systems to […]

BEIJING, December 27, 2008 (AFP) – China plans to offer incentives for car owners to scrap their old models in favour of new ones, in a bid to lift the auto industry as it enters a period of crisis, state media said Saturday. The measure is part of a new package being prepared in Beijing […]

Dec 24, (2008) – The Sri Lankan government is trying to expedite a long-delayed project to call for private investors to build a new terminal in Colombo port, a senior ministry of ports and aviation official said.Ministry secretary Thosapala Hewage the attorney-general, the chief government legal officer, recently gave his opinion on the request for […]

Dec 23, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said it has struck a deal with Emirates Shipping Line to call at Colombo port. Its Gulf Indian-Subcontinent Africa service connects the Indian Subcontinent and Middle East with East Africa with a scheduled weekly service with short transit times. “The line is using Colombo […]

Dec 22, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said it plans to build a new head office to house its offices now scattered throughout Colombo port and will not buy a hotel as planned previously. The SLPA is trying to get more space inside the harbour for its cargo operations with volumes […]

NAIROBI, December 13, 2008 (AFP) – Somali pirates have released a Greek chemical tanker seized in October but three crew members are feared dead, a Kenyan maritime official said Saturday. Somali pirates are still holding at least 14 foreign vessels and more than 300 crew members to ransom, including an arms-laden Ukrainian cargo and a […]

Dec 7, 2008 (LBO) – Often blamed for road accidents, but first on the scene to ferry victims of accidents or bomb blasts, Sri Lanka’s errant tuk tuk drivers are learning first aid skills to save lives.Drivers of the tiny auto-rickshaw taxis, commonly called “autos”, “trishaws”, or “three-wheelers” are being taught pre-hospital care to prevent […]

Nov 25, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Colombo harbour needs to reduce dependence on the Indian sub-continent and expand its coverage to get cargo from elsewhere in order to emerge as a true global hub port, a senior port professional says. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send […]

ATHENS, November 22, 2008 (AFP) – A Greek-owned chemical tanker freed by Somali pirates was heading for Saudi Arabia Saturday, Greece’s merchant shipping ministry said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘act (space) lbo’ and send to 678 The pirates had released the Liberian-flagged MV Genius on Friday after holding […]

HONG KONG, November 20, 2008 (AFP) – A Hong Kong-flagged ship captained by a Sri Lankan that was hijacked two months ago off the coast of Somalia is returning home after its owner paid a ransom to a group of pirates, AFP was told Thursday. A spokeswoman for Sinotrans Shipping said its vessel Great Creation […]

Nov 16, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan customs authorities are holding a ship that carried 72,000 tonnes of wheat to a mill owned by Prima of Singapore in the eastern port of Trincomalee, a media report said. The report said Prima Ceylon Ltd general manager Jay Ong had declined to comment. The Sunday Times newspaper […]