SHIPPING

Sri Lanka Shipping and Logistics Expo 2012 commences today

Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

The first ever Sri Lanka International Air Freight, Shipping and Logistics Expo 2012 (SIASLE 2012), the three day mega event will commence today at the BMICH Colombo.

The event is organized by CEMS Global USA and CEMS Lanka in association with Sri Lanka Port Authority will focus on country’s growing logistics industry where development of ports and second air port is expected to change the industry landscape to a greater extent.

On the sidelines of SIASLE 2012, the two day 12th International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) Asia/Oceania Regional Meeting and Port Forum will also commence today at the same venue.

The IAPH is a global alliance representing over 230 ports in 90 countries. The member ports together handle well over 60 percent of the world’s sea-borne trade and 80 percent of world container traffic. It is a non-profit making and non governmental organization headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The alliance is considered to be an important segment in the world logistic industry.

The logistics industry will support the booming industrialization and expansion is seen to cross millions of dollars in the next coming years thus creating a need for such an event in the country.

This premier event will be a launching pad to build business relationships and linkages to enhance opportunities, Shipper’s Academy Colombo Chief Executive Officer Rohan Masakorala told Daily News Business.

Developing the logistics framework is extremely important for any country to grow and needs to be equally strong along with its other exports and import services. Therefore, SIASLE 2012 will be the most prestigious and exclusive international exhibition devoted to air freight, shipping and logistic sector of Sri Lanka, he said.

The event will be a perfect networking platform for creating new logistics networks, new business connections and expand trade cooperation. With the new port and air port coming up thus boosting Sri Lanka’s port and shipping capacities and capabilities to world call standards to make it the newest one-of-a-kind hub for logistics in South Asia. . Sri Lanka with its excellent geographical proximity, is all set to soon be the most important destination for the world logistics industry surpassing all previous records, he said. The SIASLE 2012 will be the large scale meeting place ever held in Sri Lanka for the world air freight, shipping and logistics industry and companies who are looking for inroads in to Sri Lanka where it could be the future logistic hub in South Asia.

The international exhibition will focus on target visitors from both local and international arensa consisting of CEOs and Operations/Logistics Managers, decision makers and professionals from all related industries, consultants, agencies, manufacturers, exporters, importers, government officials, associations and traders from all sectors of the industry.

The SIASLE 2012 is endorsed by Strategic Enterprise Management Agency, Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka Limited, Sri Lanka Railways, Ceylon Association of Ships’ Agents and Sri Lanka Freight Forwarders Association. DHL, McLarens Shipping Limited and GAC Logistics Limited are the co-partners of the event.

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Colombo Dockyard attracts ship repairing and shipbuilding

Colombo Dockyard has been successful in attracting Indian businesses in the lines of ship repairing and shipbuilding needs as the authorities were confident of Sri Lankan expertise for a range of tasks.

The Sri Lanka and India as two close neighbouring countries have complimented each other through the years with healthy competition that has been beneficial.

A vessel repaired by Colombo Dockyard

Since Sri Lanka is strategically located adjacent to the southern tip of the Indian sub continent, Colombo Dockyard has been able to cater to ship owners from both the East and West coast with minimal diversion cost and time, Colombo Dockyard Managing Director and CEO Mangala B.P.Yapa told Daily News Business.

Many of our capacity enhancements were done with an aim to serve the Indian markets better. The 125,000 dwt dry dock commissioned in 15 years ago was one such proactive investment which has catered to meet the requirements of the Indian fleet, he said.

The current development of the port facilities in Sri Lanka will support the country to be the trade gateway between India and the rest of the world, as Hong Kong is for China and Singapore is for Malaysia.

With India emerging as a global powerhouse, Sri Lanka stands to benefit and Dockyard is ready to serve the emerging needs of the Indian market, he said.

The supporting policies of the respective governments such as Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement have given us the necessary impetus for the growth of bilateral trade. Further augmentation of these activities is expected through the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which is being favourably considered by the two governments. We have teamed up with the best in the world to provide world class service. We have partnered with world renowned design firms such as GL Noble Denton and Mass Maritime of Norway, Seatech Solutions of Singapore, Robert Allan of Canada, Wartsila Ship Design of Singapore and Beacon of Finland.

We also partnered with finest global manufacturers to source machinery and equipment such as Nagasaki, Semaku Sobi Co. Ltd, Yanmar, Kamome, Kawasaki, Wartsila and MAN in offering unique value proposition for our customers, Yapa said. We have maintained our dedication of producing good results, safeguarding the trust and confident placed by the customers.

With the current condusive environment we are better geared to showcase our latest technological capabilities.

The future customers too will benefit from our excellence and ingenuity coupled with our strategic and synergetic alliances, he said.

SJ

Kenya launches huge port project

Kenya launched the construction of a massive port, railway and refinery Friday near a UNESCO-listed Indian Ocean island in a project it bills as the biggest ever in an African nation.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir unveiled a plaque in a ceremony to mark the official start of building work near Lamu island in Kenya's southeast.

“I have no doubt that this day will go down in history as one of the defining moments, when we made a major stride to connect our people to the many socio-economic opportunities that lie ahead,” Kibaki said.

The project will provide the “landlocked countries of our region with a direct and dependable route to the sea” and help connect “the entire east and central African region to international markets,” he added.

Nairobi hopes the $24.5 billion (18.5-billion-euro) project will turn the east African country into a regional economic hub and propel it to become a middle-income economy in the next two decades.

Dancers and singers marked the formal start of construction at the inauguration at a muddy Indian Ocean shore where pristine mangrove forest is already being cleared. The port to be constructed with 32 berths and be connected to Ethiopia and oil-rich South Sudan by a super-highway, a railway and a pipeline to export Juba's crude.

The project is expected to be funded by regional financial institutions, governments and international lenders, with China believed to have a major stake.

Kibaki, in a speech thanking organizations including the World Bank, African Development Bank and African Union, singled out China as being “extremely supportive” of the project.

However, Lamu residents protest that the huge port, although located some 10 kilometres (six miles) from the UNESCO-listed island, will impact on their livelihoods and accuse the government of ignoring their concerns.

“The demands for the rights of Lamu people have fallen on deaf ears,” said a statement by Save Lamu, a coalition of local community groups in Lamu.

“We are greatly concerned that the lack of transparency, secrecy and poor accountability in the way the project is being implemented is a dismal reflection of our rights as governed by the constitution,” it added.

Kibaki said precautions must be taken to ensure there is “minimal interference with the delicate ecosystem and cultural heritage.” However, conservationists fear that monster earth movers and dredgers will destroy the mangroves and plough ship channels through coral reefs that are crucial fish breeding grounds.

“We'll be losing a certain percentage of our coral reefs, and we'll be losing our pristine beaches to some extent, and also the fishing and breeding grounds for turtles,” said Atwaa Salim Mohamed of the Lamu Marine Conservation Trust.

Kenya is already the regional economic powerhouse, but argues its existing main transport corridor -- built 100 years ago by British settlers -- was no longer spurring more development. However, the project will have to overcome the threat of bandits in northern Kenya, Al-Qaeda-allied Somali rebels operating dangerously close to Lamu on the other side of the border and pirates preying on the region's maritime traffic.

AFP