Category: Shipping and Transport

Localising its online service, Emirates on Monday announced the launch of its website for Sri Lanka – www.The local extension will provide online visitors with special promotions and information tied to Sri Lanka along with the regularly featured facilities like booking services and flight schedules. rn rn”This is an exciting development for Emirates in Sri […]

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority estimates a Rs. 3 bn profit for 2003 as a result of restructuring measures adopted last year.Revenue for the first six months is already 18 per cent up from a provisional Rs.983 million for the calendar year 2002 with turnover at around Rs.15 bn.rn rnProfits for 2001 was at Rs. […]

Policy makers are reviewing a fresh proposal outlining legislation to include the disputed terminal handling charges into the freight rate.rnrnThe Cabinet committee on economic policy is expected to resolve the dispute, ending a number of previous failed attempts. rn rnExporters say the THC is eroding their profitability and price competitiveness, also claiming that it includes […]

The need for a clear port development plan was stressed by the ADB when it approved a US$ 150,000 technical assistance grant on Tuesday to prepare a master plan for the port sector to guide policy formulation and infrastructure investment. The plan is expected to define priorities in developing regional ports and map out capacity […]

Two parties have shown interest in funding the first phase of the development of regional airports to boost domestic air travel in the country.Denmark and the European Union have expressed willingness to pump in over a billion rupees to upgrade four airports in the country.rn rnldblquote These have to be rehabilitated to a large extent-the […]

Government negotiators have finalised a deal with Emirates to partially lift monopolies enjoyed by the national carrier.Secretary to the Ministry of Aviation Cecil Amaresinghe told LBR that under the recent MOU SriLankan Airlines would lose some monopolies that it would have otherwise enjoyed till 2008.rn rnHowever, some aspects of the monopolies will remain with SriLankan.rn […]

Colombo South Harbor, which will be more than double the ports capacity to handle containers, is likely to be built with private sector help.Colombo Port will run out of space in 2012 after the Jaya Container Terminals (JCT) is expanded to its full potential of 5.5 million containers a year in the medium term.rn rnThis […]

The Hambantota Port project may not get off ground as soon as expected, Ports Minister Rauf Hakeem warned today. The Canadian firm SNC Lavelin offered to conduct the feasibility last year, and is due to submit the final report by September.rn rnBut their pre-feasibility work has so far failed to impress the authorities.rn rnldblquote I […]

Standard concession agreements are being drawn up for the road sector, spelling out the financial, technical and legal A to Zs for potential private developers.rnrn Concession agreements spell out government policy in areas such as how many years a developer operates a project, to government concessions and guidelines on tolling.rn rnldblquote Concession agreements will form […]

Shippers and exporters are pushing hard for legislation to resolve a long standing billing dispute with ship agents and owners.Shippers say the charge is being used by shipping lines to make profits, while making the countrys exports uncompetitive.rn rnThe Shippers Council has abandoned talks with ship agents to resolve a long running dispute to get […]

Exporters are calling the inclusion of a significant part of lquote on the ship expenses to the terminal handling charge (THC), technically a recovery of land based cost, as unfair and anticompetitive.A breakdown of the THC shows that upto US$ 81 of the US$ 148 levy for a 20 foot container was for discharging and […]

Port officials on Monday called on Danish firms to build the Oluvil Port, on the East coast of Sri Lanka.The Euro 28 million project will be funded entirely by The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).rn rnThe contract will see a 1.5 kilometre breakwater, the roads within the port, an ice plant and cold storage, a […]