Under the topic of “Port
Development with
Public/Private
Partnership”
answering a question
at the forum ‘The
Next Step;
investment & Private
Sector”
organized by the
ART TV held at the
Hilton Hotel,
Colombo on 31st
March 2009 Capt.
Nihal Keppetipola,
Managing Director of
Sri Lanka Ports
Authority [SLPA]
said that if the
SLPA didn’t make an
aggressive effort in
dealing with
shipping lines and
the industry giving
them hope and
comfort at this
period during the
global economic down
turn, retaining
shipping lines in
Sri Lanka would be a
difficult task.
Shipping lines in
turn are discussing
with the port
authority on long
term agreements
giving due
consideration to
the concessions
offered. Speaking
about port
development projects
he said that SLPA
must consider acting
as the land lord
and being a
regulatory body
where services and
related activities
could be handled by
public private
participation.
Taking into
consideration a
global cargo volume
growth, increasing
sizes of vessels
being built for sea
transportation,
enhanced logistics
requirement in
supply chain and
most importantly for
the next generation
in the country, SLPA
had planned to
develop several port
projects. However,
the economic down
turn has raised a
question mark on
the necessity on
spending on these
projects at a time
like this. He said
that SLPA is working
out a strategy in
developing and
enhancing
infrastructure and
super structure and
also to go head with
the projects so that
the ports and the
country will be
geared to strengthen
and facilitate the
national transport
infrastructure
requirement [which
is a part of the
maritime
transportation] thus
benefiting the
investors to
ship/transport their
building materials,
raw materials,
equipment etc.,
during the post war
construction and
development and also
be ready to capture
the growing demands
of regional and
global trade
requirements
including
accommodating mega
vessels and with
provide value added
logistics as per the
supply chain demand
emerge the global
logistic hub in this
region. Referring to
a question on the
new RFP for the
Colombo Harbour
Expansion Project he
said in fact this
may be a good time
to go for bidding,
as the contenders
may come up with
high royalty rates
than the previous
instance as the
construction,
transportation costs
have dropped
drastically.
Dr. Batagoda, Director
General, Department of
Public Enterprises spelt out
the types of investment
packages under the Public
Private Partnership [PPP]
concept in detail.
Mr. Nivard Cabral, Governor
of the Central Band
reiterated the necessity of
the port development in
spite of the economic down
turn thus facilitation of
smooth maritime
transportation for the
investors during the post
war rebuilding of the
nation.
Hon. Deputy Minister of
Finance and Planning, Dr.
Sarath Amunugama, Chairman
of Board of Investment - Mr.
Dhammika Perera, Director
General of TRCSL - Mr.
Priyantha Kariyapperuma and
Chairman of Sri Lanka
Tourism Development
Authority Mr. Bernard
Goonetilleke also attended
the occasion to address
members of the business
community in creating
awareness and providing
future government led plans
for promoting investment.
(SLMPRD-01042009)
