Category: Shipping and Transport

Sri Lankas 13 bus companies may continue under state control for longer, as attempts to bring in private management steers off course. Industry watchers say plans for a state lead restructuring programme were being touted as a contingency measure in case the Sri Lankan government fails to seal any deals.rn rnIf the state takes up […]

A newly set up Indo-Sri Lanka joint venture, plans to lure ladies to hop on and popularise motorbikes in Sri Lanka.United Motors Lanka Ltd (UML) on Tuesday tied up with Indias TVS Group to form a 50:50 joint venture to sell motorbikes and motor spares.rn rnUML hopes to infuse around Rs. 100 mn into the […]

UML will pump around Rs.100 mn into the joint venture, with plans to expand the motorbike marketing venture into local assembly under a second stage, United Motors Lanka Managing Director Anil Wijesinghe told Lanka Business Online.rn rnWijesinghe said the two firms ldblquote have successfully concluded negotiations on entering into a joint venture partnership. dblquotern rnMotor […]

Dubai based Emirates Airlines on Thursday unveiled massive new expansion plans to add new aircrafts and extra routes.This year it will add a record 11 new aircraft to its fleet and increase seating capacity by 25%, allowing it to start four new routes, add more flights on many current routes and launch radically new inflight […]

Selling the remaining seven bus company faced another breakdown, the deadline for applications pushed back once again.Meanwhile, the Public Enterprises Reform Commission (PERC) has set a February 13 deadline to the IBIS Holdings to pay up for the six bus companies.PERC says the buyer has to 60% of the bid price by Feb. 13 with […]

The government is reconsidering its plans to build a second runway at the Katunayake international airport.The proposal ran into trouble due to heavy protests by residents who would loose their homes in land acquisitions for the new runway.rn rnPlans for the second runway at the countries only international airport were drafted to make the country […]

Three firms including Singapore based SBS Transit has shown interest to buy up a stake in the remaining seven state bus companies. The deadline to submit proposals for a 39% stake in the bus companies has also been put off to January 16, an extension by the Public Enterprises Reform Commission (PERC) to factor in […]

Talks that started last year with US based Lockheed Martin for Air Traffic management, could bear fruit with an MOU to be signed shortly with the Board of Investment. In 2002, the BOI got an unsolicited proposal from a consortium including Lockheed Martin & Airways to take over the upper airspace management.rn rnThe proposal also […]

A network of highways is on the cards connecting Jaffna, Anuradhapura and Matara and with the commercial capital Colombo.The contract signing for the first of these the southern expressway linking Colombo with Matara took place recently.rnThe southern highway is partly funded by the Asian Development Bank.rn rnldblquote In addition there are other expressways proposed. One […]

The first phase of the Colombo-Matara Highway kicked off today with the contract handed over to Japanese based construction company, Kumagai-Gumi.The first phase of the four-year project is being entirely funded by the Asian Development Bank at a cost of Rs.8.6 bn.rn rnThe four-year project comes at a total cost of Rs. 21 bn, with […]

The last day to submit expressions of interest for the 39 percent stake in the remaining seven bus companies have been put off till January 10, 2003. The original deadline was set for December 20, 2002.rn rnPublic Enterprise Reform Commission (PERC) Director General Deepal Guneratne told Lanka Business Online that three parties had shown interest […]

Bids to construct the Colombo Kandy expressway closed Monday, with thirteen parties expressing interest for the project.Early December, the Board of Investment sought investors to finance, construct and manage the highway on a Build, Own and Transfer (BOT) basis.rn rnThe BOI said the project should not exceed a 25-year period.rn rnThe new highway, like the […]