Category: Shipping and Transport

The ADB will provide emergency aid to the tune of US$ 12.5mn to resuscitate southern roads drowned in floods.ldblquote ADB will provide emergency assistance amounting to US$12.5 million to help rehabilitate transport infrastructure damaged during severe flooding in southern Sri Lanka in May 2003, dblquote said a press release from the ADB on Friday. rnThe […]

The business plans for Colombos South Harbour development was finalised last week, now requiring State approval to tap donor assistance to finance the US$ 300 million Government component of the project. The Asian Development Bank sponsored business plan prepared by UK based consultants Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Company Limited was up for final approval by […]

Lion Air is swapping its large Avro aircraft for a smaller Shorts plane as it scrambles to stay afloat amidst falling passenger numbers.The airline presently shares the domestic aviation market with Expo Aviation and Serendib Air.rn rnWhen the government re-opened the domestic aviation sector, Lion Air and Expo Aviation were among the first to offer […]

The Transport Ministry is going on reverse gear, repelling the Railways Authority Act and replacing it with fresh legislation.Transport Minister Felix Perera told Lanka Business Online that Cabinet on Wednesday had given him the go ahead to repeal the Railway Authority Act and introduce new legislation.rn rnThe new Act will look to revert to the […]

Traffic jams in and around Colombo are not just driving people insane with frustration; its costing the country a thumping Rs 20 bn a year.ldblquote The congestion cost in Sri Lanka is around Rs 20 bn a year and this is just a conservative estimate, dblquote Professor Amal Kumarage from the National Transport Commission (NTC) […]

Local transport authorities want to scrap the current system of private mass transport for a more service oriented and easy to monitor system. The National Transport Commission (NTC) says reliability of services of private buses has deteriorated, while idling buses, rivalry and accidents have increased.rn rnContrary to popular belief, even productivity in the private mass […]

Jet Airways Ltd., Indias second- biggest domestic airline by fleet size, said its in talks to sell a stake to potential investors to raise funds to expand.“We are talking to various investors,” Executive Director Saroj Datta said in a telephone interview in Mumbai. “No decision has been made yet,” he said, declining to elaborate.rn rnSingapore […]

SriLankan Airlines, which plans to add around half a dozen aircraft to its fleet over the next year, says subsidized carriers are dumping seats to the market.The airline CEO told the 9th LBR-LBO CEO forum the country should focus on a ldblquote managed open skies dblquote policy to make Sri Lanka an air hub instead […]

National carrier SriLankan Airlines threw the gauntlet at the hotel industry, saying it was ready to broad base into up-market leisure hotels if local industry didnt make a move on. ldblquote If you dont invest in the industry, this airline will, dblquote warned SriLankan Airlines CEO, Peter Hill addressing corporate heads at the ninth LBO-LBR […]

Open bids to be called for in June to build the Colombo-Katunayake Highway are on hold, as the government tries to jumpstart the process with former contractor Keagnam.rnrn rnPriority for the project has been shifted to lquote now rather than months down the line, with the new government halting two years of groundwork, to explore […]

Sri Lankas roads are crying out for some serious medicine, but the Highways Ministry is tending the road network with sticking plasters, since it cant afford surgery.Sri Lanka has an extensive road network of more than 90,000 km, but most of it is also over 50 years old.rn rnMaintenance and rehabilitation of these roads, and […]

Sri Lanka and Thailand have agreed to liberalise their air services by giving each other lquote fifth freedom rights for their respective designated carriers.Fifth freedom rights allows the designated carrier to land in a second country, pick up passengers, cargo and mail destined for a third country.rn rnldblquote Both sides agreed to give unlimited number […]