Category: Shipping and Transport

Jan 22, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state marine research agency will buy a survey and research vessel from Taiwan to deepen knowledge and also upgrade a technical college to ‘ocean university’ status, a government minister said. The state National Aquatic and Research Agency (NARA) had been given the nod by the cabinet of minister […]

SEOUL, January 21, 2011 (AFP) – South Korean navy commandos Friday stormed a ship hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, rescuing all the 21 crew and killing eight pirates, military officials said. The SEAL special forces boarded the South Korean ship before dawn, freeing all the hostages and killing the pirates in cabin-to-cabin […]

SEOUL, January 15, 2011 (AFP) – Suspected Somali pirates hijacked a South Korean-operated cargo ship with 21 crew on board in the Indian Ocean on Saturday, South Korean and European officials said. The 300,000-tonne Samho Dream and its 24 crew — five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos — were released only after a ransom reported […]

Jan 13, 2010 (LBO) – Head of Sri Lanka’s Vallibel, Dhammika Perera has been appointed to the post of secretary of the transport ministry. Vallibel has interests in ceramics, power, banking, tourism and gaming. Perera said he got the letter of appointment on Wednesday and he will unveil plans to develop the country’s transport sector, […]

Jan 08, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and India have signed an agreement to start ferry services between the two neighbours with a meeting of officials to be held in Colombo next week, an Indian High Commission statement said. An Indian company, IRCON, has already commenced survey work for this purpose to restore the damaged […]

Jan 07, 2011 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) plans to invite investors to make proposals for investments in the eastern port of Trincomalee where large tracts of land are available by March, its chairman Priyath Wickrama said. The port has a cement plant and flour mill. “In the future we will not […]

Jan 06, 2011 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) plans to start bunkering or ship fuel operations at a new port in southern Hambantota in May, its chairman Priyath Wickrama said. Bunkering is seen as a lucrative business given the heavy ship traffic around the island. A tank farm with a capacity of […]

Jan 06, 2011 (LBO) – An expressway linking the Sri Lankan capital Colombo to the south is nearing completion with one section expected to be open to the public by June this year, a statement said. Work on roads near three cricket World Cup venues is also being expedited to cater to the large numbers […]

Jan 03, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shipbuilder Colombo Dockyard has won an optional contract to build a third Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessels (MPSV) for Greatship Global Offshore Services of Singapore, a statement said. The main contract for the construction of two 78-metre MPSVs, signed in October 2010, provided for Greatship Global Offshore Services (GGOSL) […]

Dec 29, 2010 (LBO) – India is helping Sri Lanka to revive commercial operations at a port and airport in the island’s north to re-establish regional trade and communications links, a statement said. The High Commission of India said Defence Secretary of India, Pradeep Kumar, had discussed the projects during a three-day visit to Sri […]

Dec 29, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan logistics firm FPS Lanka is considering setting up offices in the new southern port of Hambantota and in eastern Trincomalee harbour to handle an anticipated influx of cargo flows for post-war reconstruction. It expects new logistics contracts to be awarded in the first quarter of 2011 as projects […]

Dec 27, 2010 (LBO) – The number of vehicles imported by Sri Lanka continues to surge after a sharp import duty reduction, with new registrations up 74 percent to 284,991 in January – October 2010 from a year ago, latest data shows. The number of trucks and other transport vehicles imported have risen by 57 […]