Eight companies to supply fuel for ships

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

Leader of the House, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday told Parliament that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority has decided to authorise eight companies to supply fuel to ships on equal conditions.

According to a Supreme Court order, steps were taken to transfer the building and land area to the Ports Authority in which Lanka Marine Services (Pvt) Ltd functioned. However, the Supreme Court has granted the company a one month to vacate the premises following a request by the company.

The Minister was responding to a special statement made by JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

According to the Supreme Court ruling, the Ports Authority has to transfer authority to supply fuel to ships to these eight licensed companies based on equal conditions.

JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said nearly 300 ships pass Sri Lanka daily. So the sale of marine fuel is a lucrative business.

If our country can attract at least 50 ships for this purpose, the income will be above Rs. 100 million. With this income, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) can reduce the fuel prices.

The monopoly of supplying marine fuel should be given to the corporation. So far it was handled by the CPC.

But the Ports Authority has undertaken the supply of marine fuel.

The public could be provided fuel at concessionary rates. Only the monopoly of supplying of marine fuel is maintained by the CPC.

We should not allow private companies to reap the income of the marine fuel business which should be a Government revenue.