Category: Shipping and Transport

The National Security Council has grounded all helicopter and floatplane operations that were given the recent go-ahead, until further notice.ldblquote The Security Council has suspended helicopters and float plane operations and they are yet to get back to us as to when they can resume, dblquote Secretary to the Civil Aviation Ministry, Cecil Amerasinghe told […]

An annual 6.5 percent growth forecast for the Asian aviation industry has prompted the EU to set up a regional training facility in Sri Lanka.The EU and the European Association of Aerospace Industries (AECMA) are putting in a combined Euro 10 million to develop the skills of national aviation regulators and operators in South Asia […]

The Colombo office of Emirates has begun sales of travel plus accommodation packages for the ninth Dubai Shopping Festival, which takes place from January 15 to February 15, 2004.A range of competitively priced packages from Emirates Holidays, the leisure management division of the award-winning international airline, enables Sri Lankans to participate in one of the […]

The Western Provincial Council says motorists in the province have defaulted paying revenue license fees valued at more than Rs. 1 billion.One third of the 1.8 million registered motor vehicles in the country are in the Western Province.rn rnBut authorities have found that 375,000 motorists have not paid their license fees.rn rnTo bring them back […]

Initial bid papers for the Colombo Katunayake toll road will be on offer in two weeks, with an annuity based financial model for prospective investors, also finalised. Documents are ready for a pre-qualification round, to be open in two weeks to narrow down the interest to six firms, who will then submit full detailed proposals.rn […]

Middle East based airline, Qatar Airways says it will fly via Colombo on its way to Australia, picking up Indian tourists to fill up its flights. Flights to Australia will take off after rounding up bilateral aviation negotiations between Sri Lanka and Qatar in March 04.rnrnThe transit operation from Colombo to Australia is part of […]

Dubai based Emirates Airlines will invest US$ 1.8 bn into glamorising its new fleet of Airbus 340-500s as it revamps its long-haul flights.The service began December 1, when 14-hour non-stop flights to and from Sydney, Australia took off, with plans to fly to North America (New York) from 2004.rn rnThe new aircraft carry 12 First […]

Friction between the President and the Premier has pushed back a December deadline to offer private investors a stake in the Bandaranaike International Airport.Privatisation of the Bandaranaike International Airport has been on the cards as a phase three of ongoing expansion efforts, on the basis of a private-public partnership.rn rnThis includes expansion of the terminal […]

State owned Lakdiva Engineering Ltd. endash repair and re-conditioning arm for state buses, is to be put up for private investment, as part of the re-haul of the Central Transport Board. Lakdiva Engineering is entirely state owned, and currently operates a factory that repairs and re-conditions bus bodies belonging to the state owned Bus Companies. […]

Sri Lanka needs an estimated US$ 150 mn over the next four years to re-haul a dilapidated bridge network, many over 50 to 100 years old.rnrn The Road Development Authority is negotiating soft loans from Japan and the Saudi Fund to upgrade 15 bridges identified on priority basis.rn rnldblquote We have identified a list of […]

US marine fuel supplier ChemOil signed a deal on Friday to dock at the Colombo Prot, to sell bunker fuel. Lanka Bunker Services, ChemOils BOI (Board of Investment) venture with Sri Lanka Shipping Company Limited (SLSCL) will target the South Indian industrial areas for clients together with vessels calling in at Colombo. rn rnBOI sources […]

Dubai-based Emirates Airline has set its sights on the stars — literally — to help it offer new levels of comfort and enjoyment to travellers on ultra-longhaul flights from next month.In an industry first, an image of the night sky above Dubai, complete with twinkling constellations, will be shown on the ceiling panels above their […]