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The government of Sri Lanka and the Ports Authority should thoroughly study the whole of south port development project prior to embarking on a technical feasibility study by spending US$ 15 million which is an ADB loan repayable by the Port, by first looking at the business modal and questioning the Logic of the development and whether it meets with customer's requirements, said Prof. Ernst G.Frankel of MIT, usa at the recently concluded ICS Intl. on "Sustainable Development on Ports and Shipping".

He said that funds should be utilised for better yielding projects and a couple of big ports in caribbean, purpose built for transshipment have become white elephants as no carrier is calling at those ports.

Maxwell de Silva, Chairman ICS said that building of a new port should be linked to all other economic and business activities and should not confine to container trade only such as Tourism, Commerce, Ship building and breaking, warehousing, break bulk shipping, Bunkering activities and entertainment. The OPA study on Integrated Sustainable development model should be taken to achieve the Ports and Shipping success, he said.

There was consensus on the issue of port development and the need to go ahead with a integrated master plan for implementation. Instead of we building a Port of our specifications, it is required to go for private investments and get Shipping Lines/Other Ports to invest in Sri Lanka and build a port to suit international requirements which country will have a brand new port not patronized by any shipping Line. Therefore it is important that we take a cautious move in building port of our requirements, he said.

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