Shipping

Abundant potential to produce boats - Cey-Nor Chairman

Anjana SAMARASINGHE

Countries like Sri Lanka has growth potential for manufacturing leisure boats to international market, Chairman of Cey-Nor Foundation Rohan Jayasinghe said.

Plans are afoot to enter into the Bangladesh market through a joint venture with Bangladesh partners. We are waiting for several approvals from the Bangladesh authorities. Under this project Cey-Nor will provide technology, and funds for the joint venture, he said.

Today most of the European companies shift their manufacturing process to Asia due to lower labour costs.

Sri Lanka needs to cater the niche market in the leisure boat segment for providing customized boats, he said.

Large number of yachts passes in Sri Lanka seas everyday create more opportunities to local boat industry. Country needs to focus to improve this segment, he said.

Soon after the tsunami there were large amount of boat manufacturers in the country. Only few export oriented companies were able to survive in the market. Sri Lanka had its first boat show recently which concluded successfully which was a positive move in the local boat manufacturing industry, he said.

Recently Cey-Nor entered into the project with AMW for manufacturing floating piers.

These floating piers could be used as reception halls, conference and entertaining areas on water.

Cey-Nor Foundation has successfully completed an order placed by the government of India recently.

As a competitive boat manufacturer in the country securing this order was important to us for capturing other markets in the region. There were several inquires from Indian leisure industry to manufacture boats for leisure activities, he said.

Cey-Nor also expects to expand its business to Bangladesh market near future.

American President Line sailings to resume

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority has signed an agreement with the container shipping company American President Line (APL) under which the carrier will exclusively patronize SLPA-run facilities like the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT). The agreement , signed on December 31, will see APL operating with JCT from 2009.

The move will result in the SLPA-managed terminals gaining a huge increase in container throughput, with a resultant increase in revenue. The return of APL is considered another achievement of the process to develop SLPA under its three year plan, launched by the chairman of SLPA Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama to improve efficiency and productivity of Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

APL now operates a total of five services (four mainline vessel and one feeder vessel) through Colombo Port and with the return of the line to SLPA, its annual throughout is expected to be increased in about 250,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) during the years to come.

At a time, the present global position is to face an on coming economic crisis, the attraction of mega shipping lines to SLPA stabilizes its reliability and stability in the region in its port and all maritime services during its present context where a number of mega port development projects have also been launched in the country. Under the timely supervision and guidance of Minister of Port, Aviation, Irrigation and Water Management Chamal Rajapaksa, these steps launched to develop the port sector will be resultant in boosting the future economic development of Sri Lanka.

APL had previously called at SLPA terminals, in fact the first container ship to be serviced in Sri Lanka was owned by APL. But later in 2004 gradually shifted its three services out of JCT. Now the SLPA has improved its own operations, offering superior service and vastly improved productivity with faster turnaround times at competitive rates. The return of APL to SLPA terminals was negotiated by the new SLPA management.

APL is the world seventh largest container shipping line controlling almost four percent of global container movements. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines, a global transportation and logistics company engaged in shipping and related businesses.

Port northern entrance project completed

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has completed dredging of the northern entrance to Colombo Ports, senior SLPA officials said.

The entrance has been kept closed for years because of the possibility of attack by Tiger rebels. It was scheduled to be re-opened this today but had been put off after fresh reports of Tamil Tiger threats against the Port, officials said. "Recently, we got information about a possible attack," a senior official said. "If not for the threat we have planned to open the northern entrance from January 1."

The Tigers staged an abortive attack on the port using a speed boat and divers who came in through the northern entrance in the 1990s.

The entrance has been kept closed most of the time since then despite repeated promises by the authorities to reopen it.

The closure of the entrance channel has long been an issue with port users who complain it causes delays to shipping since the sailings were confined to use one entrance where only one ship can pass at a time. HS