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Colombo Port to attract Rs 3 billion
Wednesday, 11 July 2012 - 12:52 PM SL Time
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`Colombo`s Port expansion is on track and it would attract over Rs. Three billion investments in a matter of three years,` Dr Priyath B.Wickrama, Chairman, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), said.
Addressing the Trade and Logistics Conference which began at the Colombo Hilton yesterday, he said that they have already 15 investment proposals, while six investors have already come forward to invest US $ 200 million.
Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama Dr. Willie Gamage
`The Sri Lanka Ports sector, would be a key economic driver in the future with the new opportunities opened up from African countires and the East Coast of India towards Europe and US as well as towards the Far East. `This was in addtion to the growing Sri Lankan market,` he said.
Dilivering the opening session`s keynote address on the requirements of an efficient, integrated communication system to convert Sri Lanka in to a real `Maritime hub,` stated that Sri Lanka being an island nation, Maritime activities played a vital role in her socio economic status.
`Similar to many other maritime nations who develop their maritime activities to enhance their national economy, Sri Lanka too has taken steps to harness the potential offered through its locational advantage to develop into a key maritime and logistics centre in the region. In the country`s economic performance, the service sector, such as trade, financial services, telecommunications, road transport and the port services being important contributors, had been the dominant factor contributing a significant percentage to the GDP,` he further said.
He emphsized that SLPA has no plans of shifitng port operations to Hambantota. Dr.Willie Gamage, Chairman of the Strategic Enterprise Management Agency, said that it was important to appreciate the pivotal role played by State owned enterprises not just in Sri Lanka, but in many economies around the world, in acting as a catalyst for generating export and import business for the shipping and ports sector.
`It is therefore, a priority area for the state to keep investing in the ports sector, whilst at the same time, governments have also realized the importance in inviting the private sector to participate to ensure efficiency of port operations,` he added.
Sri Lanka Ports, Trade and Logistics two day conference and exhibition which commences on July 10, 2012, with the initiative of Transport Minister Kumara Welgama, at the Hilton Hotel in Colombo. The conference supported by Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), was another important annual fixture in the international maritime event`s diary. Concentrating on the salient issues that would drive economic, investment and business activities in Sri Lanka, this timely conference and exhibition was also set to become a knowledge platform to propel Sri Lanka`s economy.
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