Category: Shipping and Transport

Nov 28, 2012 (LBO) – Containers handled at Sri Lanka’s ports fell 3. 3 percent to 329,199 in September 2012 from a year earlier, with domestic containers falling 8.3 percent to 86,273 amid an economic slowdown, while transshipment volumes also fell. Data released by Sri Lanka’s Central Bank showed that 335 ships called at ports […]

COLOMBO, Nov 28, 2012 (AFP) – The Maldives defended Wednesday its controversial decision to terminate an airport management contract with an Indian firm, saying the deal was dogged by “legal, technical and economic issues”. President Mohamed Waheed’s government gave five days to GMR Group to leave after prematurely ending the 25-year lease of the nation’s […]

Nov 19, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has got a loan of 98 million US dollars from the Asian Development Bank for a 112. 9 million US dollar (14.6 billion rupees) program to rebuild 200 kilometres of roads in former war zones in the north of the island. The additional financing for the Northern Road […]

Nov 15, 2012 (LBO) – Prices of small cars may go up by 200,000 and trucks by about 400,000, and three wheelers by about 25,000 following tax changes announced in the budget, industry officials said. The prices of larger cars will remain stable as they already pay over 750,000 in taxes, under the rules announced […]

Nov 05, 2012 (LBO) – Ships calling at Sri Lanka’s ports fell by 38 to 350 in August 2012 from a year earlier and domestic container handling fell sharply as the economy slowed amid a trade contraction, but transshipment volumes were steady, official data shows. In August 83,974 containers (twenty foot equivalent units) were handled […]

Oct 31, 2012 (LBO) – Rescuers are still looking for four missing crewmen from a Vietnamese cargo vessel that sank in heavy seas 150 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, an official said. Sri Lanka’s navy had tried to send a ship to the distressed vessel yesterday but could not reach the area due […]

Oct 18, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state railway system had lost 28.2 billion rupees over the past seven years and 2,689 employees had been hired into the permanent cadre, data tabled in Sri Lanka’s parliament showed. Minister Rohana Dissanaya was responding to questions from legislator Dayasiri Jayasekera had said that Sri Lanka railways had […]

Sept 17, 2012 (LBO) – The Asian Development Bank has approved 98 million US dollars in additional financing to expand a road re-building program in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province and war torn Northern Province. The project will reduce travel time on the road by an average of 20 percent from the 2010 level. “The […]

Sept 17, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hemas group said it has formed a logistics company with Forwardair Logistics (Pvt) Ltd, taking 50 percent of the joint venture and branding it Hemas Logistics. “With this joint venture we will expand our integrated logistics solutions capability through container transport and the movement of over-dimensional and project […]

Sept 15, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s vehicle registrations had fallen 39.5 percent to 27,185 in August 2012, from a year earlier, though there was marginal pick up from a low of around 24,000 hit in June, an analysis by an equities research house has showed. Luxury Mercedes, BMW and Audi units fell just 11 […]

Sept 12, 2012 (LBO) – China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited has been given a 40 billion rupees (303 million US dollars) contract to build roads and flyovers in Hambantota in the South. Cabinet spokesman minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said 85 percent of the financing will come from the Exim Bank of China and the balance […]

Sept 11, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s new vehicle registrations have plunged 48 percent in June 2012 from a year earlier in the wake of higher taxes and currency depreciation with three wheelers falling the most, official data showed. In the six months to June total vehicle registrations were down 5.7 percent to 234,388. Motor […]