Category: Shipping and Transport

Sept 05, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings has raised its stake in South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) to 37.97 percent by acquiring a 4.22 percent tranche from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). JKH said it had paid 4.41 million US dollars (475 million Sri Lanka rupees) when ADB exercised a put option […]

Sept 05, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority plans to upgrade an aging bunker fuel storage facility it is taking over from a private firm, senior officials said. The SLPA’s approach will be to have cost-based tariff to encourage the facility’s use by suppliers and ensure greater competition in the supply of ship […]

Sept 04, 2008 (LBO) – Bunker oil stocks at Colombo are running low with a pending hand-over of a tank farm by the largest supplier to the port, and fresh stocks only due in mid-September, shipping officials said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The […]

Sept 03, 2008 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority plans to take over the bunker fuel storage tank facility that belonged to John Keells Holdings (JKH) subsidiary Lanka Marine Services by September 10. Wickramasuriya said the port will run the tank farm and make it available for use by all licensed bunker suppliers. To […]

Sept 03, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan ship owners say a recent Supreme Court decision has resolved a long-standing dispute they have had with customs over import tax on ships. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 According to the recent ruling, ships cannot be considered […]

Sept 01, 2008 (LBO) – Colombo port could reclaim land in shallow waters near the Sri Lankan capital city for industry and move containers by rail to avoid congestion as it expands the harbour, an expert says.The government has started building or plans several new roads to connect Colombo to other big towns as well […]

Aug 29, 2008 (LBO) – The chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Saliya Wickramasuriya said he will be resigning from his post for personal reasons at the end of this month. It was not immediately clear who his successor would be.Wickramasuriya said ports and aviation minister Chamal Rajapaksa had accepted his letter of […]

Aug 28, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s long-neglected railway system is a useful complement to roads and could take bulk freight transport off the roads, reducing traffic jams, a senior official said. However, he said, to make the best use of rail, railway station stations should be set up in a manner that suits the […]

Aug 27, 2008 (LBO) – Tenders for the long-delayed first container terminal in the planned new Colombo south port will be called in the next 2-3 weeks, a senior Sri Lanka Ports Authority engineer said. “There is a very high demand for the south container terminal,” Kurukulasuriya said. He said the project was needed to […]

Aug 21, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Mercantile Shipping Company said it expects delivery of the first of two new cargo ships on order by the middle of next year as construction is slightly ahead of schedule.The company said it made good profits in the last financial year but that cash flow would be tight […]

Aug 20, 2008 (LBO) – Brown & Company and its associate Klevenberg have launched a campaign to conduct free mobile emission tests on vehicles in parts of Sri Lanka, the company said in a statement. Klevenberg is the sole agent for Lucas batteries in Sri Lanka. It is also the sole agent for brands such […]

Aug 20, 2008 (LBO) – A cargo vessel owned by Sri Lanka’s Vallibel group sank off the Bangladeshi port of Chittagong Wednesday after colliding with a tanker, shipping and company officials said. The Vallibel group of businessman Dhammika Perera owns a few merchant ships. The crew of Sri Lankan and Burmese was rescued, they said, […]