Port Profits

Apr 11, 2012 (LBO) - Operating profits at Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) rose 57.

8 percent to 13.1 billion rupees partly helped by rupee despite a slight reduction in container handling, a state report said.



In the past the ports authority had suffered losses due to the appreciation of the yen against the dollar as the agency has yen loans. The annual report of Sri Lanka's central bank said revenues of the 24 percent to 38.



7 billion rupees partly helped by a 10 percent depreciation of the rupee, while operating expenses rose at a slower 11.5 percent to 25.6 rupees.

In 2012, the number of vessels dropped 4.

6 percent to 4,134 with vessels to Colombo dropping 6.2 percent to 3,870. Vessels to Galle dropped 5.5 percent to 69.

Vessels to Trincomalee rose 15.6 percent to 161.

Vessels to the newly built port in Hambantota had risen to 34 from 9.

Total cargo handled had risen 6.

3 percent to 65,070,000 metric tonnes while total container traffic fell 1.

8 percent to 4.187 million twenty-foot equivalent units.

Transshipment container fell 1.5 percent to 3,167.

The number of employees had dropped 14.

2 percent to 10.200, indicating that labour productivity had increased.