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Shipping
Move to facilitate cargo clearing system
Shippers call for EDI:
Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA
The Sri Lanka Shippers' Council (SLSC) has called upon the Government
to implement the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), a fully automated
cargo clearing system to facilitate the efficient operation of the
clearing process.
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The Colombo Port expansion program will be a boost to the
shipping industry where larger vessels could be handled |
The system now in operation takes a great deal of time and manpower
whereas with the EDI in place the service could be made available faster
and effectively, Chairman, Sri Lanka Shippers' Council Randolph Perera
told the 39th Annual General Meeting held last week. The Government
needs to expedite this process as this system has been already
implemented in other Asian countries such as India and Singapore.
When the system is in operation all Government institutions will fall
in line for an efficient service.
This will benefit not only local exporters, but transshipment too
will benefit. At present the work is being done manually, he said.
The Colombo Port expansion program will be a boost to the shipping
industry where larger vessels could be handled. It could also
accommodate the mega shipping lines to the country. We are happy with
the work in progress and it is on the correct track, he said.
The granting of the Export Development Reward Scheme for exporters
will benefit and encourage them during the global recession. The reward
scheme is open to all exporters who have progressed even during this
troubled period, he said.
The SLSC will host the fifth Annual General Meeting of the Asian
Shippers' Council from August 13- 15 in Colombo.
"This will give us an opportunity to brand our country as a maritime
hub and position ourselves to capture the global market to develop the
shipping industry", he said.
At a glance:
* Fully automated cargo clearing system
* Local exporters to benefit
* Asian shippers to meet in Colombo
Soft loan package for Indian shipping industry
The Indian Banks' Association has constituted a Working Group to
examine the proposed extension of credit facilities to Shipping
companies in India for purchase of ships. The Indian Banks' Association
recently advised that they have no role to play in the matter and the
Shipping Company should take up the matter with the individual banks.
The share of Indian carriers in carriage of the country's overseas
seaborne trade which was 31.50 percent during 1999-2000 declined
gradually to a level of 13.7 percent in 2005-06.
It is fact that despite the introduction of the Tonnage Tax in
2004-05, Indian Shipping Industry is liable to a variety of taxes and
there are still about 12 direct and indirect taxes.
The Ministry of Shipping has formulated a National Maritime
Development Program (NMDP). Under the program, specific projects have
been identified to be taken up for implementation up to 2011-12.
In the major ports, 276 projects cover the entire gamut of
activities, namely, construction/upgradation of berths, deepening of
channels, rail-road connectivity projects, equipment upgradation/modernization
schemes and other related schemes for creation of back-up facilities
have been identified for inclusion in the program. pib |
