The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) has established a one stop service Centre at the Hambantota International Airport (HIP), to provide investors easy access to the port and related services.
This is a new joint initiative of the BOI with HIP. The BOI would play the role of a facilitator with the long term goal of improving Sri Lanka’s ranking on the world bank’s ease of doing business index. HIPG whose principal shareholder is CM Port, one of the world’s leading port operators is targeting port related activities within the 3.5 square kilometer area allotted for the port’s development. Together with their local partner SLPA, HIPG is working towards making this initiative a reality.
This is an entirely new concept in Sri Lanka and HIPG is very excited about promoting this locally and internationally, attract port related industries to Sri Lanka. The Hambantota port is a uniquely placed not just in Sri Lanka but on the global maritime map, the main reason being it’s positioning in close proximity to the sea lane connecting east and west. The fact that it is not located in a congested city, but has enough land space to expand, will also provide great opportunities for investors’’ says Tissa Wickremasinghe, coo of HIPG.
It would also be a boon from the point of view of both local and international export related businesses, as they would have easy access to information on incentives and facilities the BOI could offer them. The one stop service center would be a launch pad for the next stage in port development, where Sri Lanka would join international trade and commerce, from the southern part of Sri Lanka.
The vision of Hambantota international port is to create the mix to take port Development from merely a destination for sea going vessels, towards commercial, marine services and life styles concepts more so when one considers how air ports have developed in recent years. Hip operators across five platforms, providing RO-RO, conventional cargo oil & gas, container, bunkering and cruise services along with a wide range of client and industry-specific services to ensure that fleets remain in operative condition. The services include bunkering, ship repairs, ship chandlers, sea marshals, underwater services, surveys and crew changes.
The Hambantota international port is positioned to be the one-stop logistics platform that caters to all, offering an integrated package that could be tailor made to their customers’ needs, reinforced by Hambantota’s geographic location, the port offers an un paralleled experience of air and sea connectivity. Hip is also looking at the wider arena of yacht and leisure travel, and working towards facilitating cruise travelers who use the port as a calling destination. In order to achieve these goals, hip has taken into consideration, their close proximity of the Mattala airport and built processes for air-sea cargo movement.
The one stop service Centre will be an added advantage to the array of services and incentives, investors could choose from. Ray Ren, CEO of HIPG says, ‘’while we are looking at developing the various silos of the port as leisure, commercial, bunkering, transshipment, RORO operations, we also see this as a great opportunity to move the Sri Lankan economy into a super charged position to attract investors. After setting up of the one stop service center we are awaiting a national free port policy for the Hambantota port to encourage investors.’’
The Hambantota port is in line with the national vision for pot development in Sri Lanka and responds to the SLPA’s future growth plans for a modern port, free of urban restrictions, assuring long-term expansion capacity and a world standard industrial and logistics zone. A platform that can receive main players of port, maritime, industrial and logistics sectors, those adhere to the highest standards of integrity.
Hip will provide a variety of services from container handling, general cargo, roro, passenger, bunkering, bulk terminal, gas to project cargo. It is well on it’s way to becoming one of a kind, as the only port in the country, designed to handle the full gamut of services in the maritime and logistics area. Hip plans to present economically efficient and environmentally sound intensive benefits and port services to all port users and stakeholders.
China marchents port holdings company limited (cm port), is the principal partner of hipg, has been named the largest globally competitive public port developer, investor and operater in china, with investments in mainland china, hong kong and overseas, cm port operates in 18 countries in 5 continents globally.
In this occasion the following personals participated.
Malik Samarawickrama minister for devolopment stratergies, international trade, science & technology,
Cheng Xueyuan-ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the people’s republic of china in Sri Lanka, Yang Zouo Yuan commercial counsellor- the embassy of the people’s republic of china in sri lanka, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, Deputy Minister Devolopment Strategies & International Trade, Champika Malalgoda- Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, Ray Ren, chief executive officer at the Hambantota international port group, Shirantha Herath- chairman- ministry of ports & shipping and souther devolopment, Ranjith kumarasinghe- deputy director- sri lanka customs- hambantota international port.
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