Shipping

Hayleys launches modern container freight station with 'Logilink'

The Hayleys Group commissioned a modern Container Freight Station (CFS) to offer Sri Lanka's importers, exporters and logistic service providers a comprehensive range of value added logistics services for their cargoes.

This facility has an added advantage as it will house a Customs Import Bond to facilitate the import and management of industrial inputs such as raw materials and components for the manufacture of finished products for export.

Set up as a member of Hayleys Advantis, the Group's Transportation business cluster, this modern complex aptly named 'Logilink (Pvt) Limited' is located at Welisara and comprises of 42,000 square feet of covered warehouse space with 10 container loading bays and a one acre yard. It is designed and equipped to comply with the USA's rigorous C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) and the European TAPA (Transported Asset Protection Association) safety requirements for cargo.

This facility is targeted primarily at supporting the needs of all stakeholders who patronise and support the country's apparel manufacturing sector. The Customs Bond which offers Deconsolidation and delivery of imported raw materials and other inputs will be of particular value to local apparel manufacturers, the company said.

Speaking at the formal inauguration of Logilink (Pvt) Ltd., Hayleys PLC Chairman N. G. Wickremeratne said this latest investment in the Group's portfolio of businesses in the Transportation sector would represent a standard of excellence comparable with the highest in the industry, and comply with all environmental, social, security and safety requirements.

According to Executive Director of Logilink, Capt. Lasitha Cumaratunga, the role of the company would be to manage a critical segment in the logistics of its customers bringing greater efficiency, direct and indirect cost savings and value additions that would enable these companies to better focus on their core operations.

"Many international buyers require consolidation of consignments from multiple factories and appoint Consolidators to coordinate the process," Capt. Cumaratunga explained.

"Logilink is offering a facility with state-of-the-art infrastructure including CCTV monitoring of all cargo, high security access control, bar coding, Automatic Identification and Data Capturing (AIDC) and two-way inventory information to these service providers and customers adding value for all parties."

In the case of inbound cargo, the Customs Bond facility will provide de-bonding, storage and delivery to factories on a Just-in-Time basis that could enable such factories to free up valuable space to expand their production capacity, he said.

"One important aspect of the CFS facility is that because Logilink is providing common-user infrastructure, customers only pay as they use, and do not have to invest and manage any infrastructure themselves," Capt. Cumaratunga stressed.

By locating and servicing its consolidation and customs bond facilities at a single location, Logilink has an opportunity to maximise savings on inland transport by using the same vehicle fleet that delivers raw materials to carry outbound manufactured goods to the CFS, establishing a link between a customer's import and export supply chains, he said, adding that this enables the company to look for innovative ways to bring down costs for its customers.

Boat Show Sri Lanka 2008 at BMICH from June 8 to 10

The first ever boat show of Sri Lanka will be launched on June 8 at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Convention Centre of the BMICH. The show which is organised by the Boat Building Technology Improvement Institute (BTI) and the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) in association with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board will be inaugurated by the Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G.L. Peiris. The Minister of Industrial Development Kumara Welgama will be the chief guest on the final day of the event.

The main objective of the 'Boat Show Sri Lanka 2008' is to introduce this industry to the local market and create awareness among the foreign importers and suppliers of the capabilities of the local boat building industry. There will be about 100 stalls exhibiting variety of boats and related items, such as material, engines, interior fixtures, fittings electrical devises, board safety equipments etc.

The EDB has identified boat manufacturing as a sector with an export potential. Considering the importance of this event to promote the boat building industry, the EDB joined hands with the BTI, in organizing and promoting this event. The EDB has made the foreign importers aware of this event through the Sri Lankan missions abroad.

Boat building industry has been a thriving industry in the Western World during the previous decade. Although Sri Lanka has a long history of boat building from recent past this industry was confined only to fishing.

Now the centre for manufacturing boats is moving towards the developing countries. This is mainly due to the labour cost advantages offered by the developing countries. Sri Lanka is at an advantage here as the main material base for boat manufacturing is also in the Asian region.

Although Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the sea, the trend for leisure and adventure boating has not yet found its true potentials. The Hotel trade of the coastal areas also has not concentrated much on the water related activities such as leisure boating as an entertainment for the tourists. This show will provide an opportunity to the hotel trade also to tryout new areas to improve their entertainment activities.

After the tsunami disaster more than 15,000 boats were destroyed and there was a structural shift from traditional one day fishing to deep sea fishing that required different types of boats for multi day use.

At this juncture the Boat Building Technology Improvement Institute (BTI) was formed by the leading boat manufactures in Sri Lanka, with the prime purpose of promoting the development of the boat industry towards being a globally competitive sector.

The German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) joined hands with the BTI as a strategic partner to provide much needed training facilities to the boat builders.

Hanjin Shipping receives new 4,300TEU vessels

Hanjin Shipping announced the delivery of its two new 4,300TEU vessels. Hanjin Norfolk and Hanjin Piraeus, christened at Samsung Heavy Industries in Geoje Island, are the second and the third in a series of the eight 4,300TEU container ships ordered back in 2005.

Hanjin Shipping reveals that these new 4,300TEU vessels, equipped with the state-of-the art engines, consume less fuel than any other ships of the same class and can easily change speed according to operational situations.

Hanjin Norfolk and Hanjin Piraeus will be deployed in the company's AWE (All Water East Coast) Central service from June 3 and 10 respectively. Hanjin Shipping adds "Deployment of these new ships will strengthen our fleet and also better our customer service."

In addition, Hanjin Shipping continues to give variety to its fleet to create an optimal fleet portfolio by securing both mega-sized vessels of more than 10,000TEU class including the nine 13,000TEU chartered ships and also middle-sized vessels ranging from 4,000TEU to 6,000TEU.