Under the guidance of the Minister of Ports and Shipping Mahinda Samarasinghe Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has launched an exercise towards total re-branding of the Port of Colombo with a global marketing plan. The first meeting was convened by the Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) with the stakeholders to draw a marketing plan to discuss an action plan in this regard.
The top management of JCT, CICT and SAGT participated at this initial “kick off session” of the project held at the SLPA.
The Port of Colombo has shown a double digit growth last year. However this has slowed down this year to a single digit. Although a 6% growth is still healthy in comparison with the trade growth, an aggressive marketing approach could increase the market share of Colombo.
Towards this end it has become necessary to re-brand the port and to develop a sustainable marketing plan. Marketing individual terminals in as isolated manner needs to be replaced by the Global marketing strategy that promotes Colombo as one Terminal. Different terminals whilst competing for business using quality of service and cost as tools, should also be complementary to each other in working as one port. This is important in an environment where the mergers and acquisitions by major lines have made capacity of individual Terminals inadequate in facing the demand. The acquisition, mergers and the formation of alliances by major shipping lines resulting in introducing larger ships and new services has become both a threat and an opportunity.
The proposal is also an inclusive approach as it will involve all stakeholders in developing the marketing plan.
The new platform will re-brand and market the Port of Colombo with the participation of both public and private sector enabling fast tracking of the development of the Port of Colombo.
The SriLanka Ports Authority (SLPA) will act as the leading player in the process as the regulator and land load of all commercial ports in Sri Lanka.
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