The Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents ( CASA) yesterday lauded the Sri Lanka Ports Authority ( SLPA) for its epoch making performance at the Colombo Port, but stressed that the need of the hour was to expedite the construction of Colombo East Port.
“We congratulate the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the officials of the Colombo Port on the epoch-making and robust performances of being the fastest growing port in the world in the first half of 2018 and also touching the seven million TEU landmark this year.
But it is also important at the same time that the Port adds to this present capacity to maintain this growth momentum and trajectory, CASA Vice Chairman Iqram Cuttilan told Business Observer in an interview at his Vauxhall Towers office on Friday.
Reacting positively to the Daily News Business lead story on Wednesday which quoted SLPA Chairman Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake as having said the Colombo Port was touching the seven million TEU landmark this year and his comments on the Colombo Port being ahead of the other competing regional ports such as Singapore, Dubai, Fujairah and Salalah, Cuttilan, also Aitken Spence Logistics Director and COO, told this newspaper that while it was important that port capacities were increased, the immediate priority was the fast tracking the Colombo East Port Container Terminal.
Responding to a question as to how he and CASA see the hectic tussle between India and China for the Colombo East and West Ports, he said that where the investor came from did not matter, so long as the developer should be a container port operator who had the capacity to bring in the business in terms of container volumes which will usher in the business which would handle the container throughput.
There has to be the float of a competitive bid and to determine who could bring in the best business in terms of volumes and revenues to Sri Lanka, he said.