Shipping

Level of efficiency to improve at Colombo Port:

Northern entrance re-opening will attract more ships

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

The reopening of the Northern entrance to the Colombo Port sends positive signals to the world indicating the improved security situation and peaceful environment in Sri Lanka.

A ship in the Colombo Port - Picture by Sumanachandra Ariyawansa

This would improve the level of efficiency of Port activities being carried out and would also attract more ships and business to the country, Chairman, Shipping, Ports and Aviation Committee of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, Sujeiva Samaraweera told Daily News Business.

The Southern entrance to the Colombo Port was the only entrance used and this delayed the port activities and volumes were affected having a direct impact on the revenue generated, he said.

The Northern entrance was used for transshipment and feeder vessels before its closure and the country is now in a position to accept more vessels. The Colombo Port will be attractive compared to the regional ports and this would help our national economy to grow in terms of revenue, he said.

"Ship owners try to minimize the time spent at the port and they need a speedy service. It is necessary to encourage them to obtain our services. Steps should be taken to train the human resources to cater to the demand anticipated in port activities", he said.

The reopening of the Northern entrance to the Colombo Port also sends a positive message to the insurance underwriters. This would reduce the premium charged and would be an added attraction to shipping lines to patronize our services. The two entrances would encourage healthy competition within the country, he said.

With the improved efficiency of the services provided at the Northern entrance the number of containers handled would be more and the interchange time taken will be less.

This would enable more vessels to come to the Port and Sri Lanka has the comparative advantage over the other ports in the world, Samaraweera said.

The country would benefit by the enhanced opportunities provided with the Northern and Southern entrances operating to its full capacity. The National Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka appreciates the steps taken by the SLPA and the Navy that provide security to the Port. The message of peace should be sent to the world. Steps should be taken to inform shippers and embassies and showcase shipping industry capabilities, he said.

There is a need for a better logistical access and the country could capture this market. The entry and exit points are the most important gateway and it would have a positive impact on the investors too. We need to re-organize our back office functions to accommodate more throughput and more business.

The coordination among the line organizations such as Customs, Emigration and Immigration are vital for the shipping industry to progress, he said.

It is important to conduct a comparative study among the regional players regarding the rates involved in the industry. We need to adjust our rates to be on par with the regional rates and improve the marketable position of the Colombo Port. For this, a strong marketing arm is necessary to promote the shipping industry internationally, he said.

EU admiral warns against 'crafty' pirates

Pirates operating in waters off Somalia are becoming increasingly "crafty", a commander of the EU's naval mission warned Monday, urging merchant vessels to cooperate more closely with his warships.

"The pirates are getting crafty, they are extending their horizon," Rear Admiral Peter Hudson said. They are showing "a level of sophistication that we have not seen. We have to respond to that."

"These are reckless individuals, they are not afraid of spending days and days at sea in an open skiff," he said, noting that 10 ships and 244 people were currently in the hands of pirates."It is vital that the merchant community listen to our warnings and don't attempt to cut corners," he told members of the European parliament in Brussels.His warning came a week after pirates launched two of their longest-range attacks yet, fully 1,000 nautical miles from the Somali coast.AFP