The Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council, led by its Executive Committee, conducted a comprehensive visit to the Hambantota International Port (HIP) last week, emphasizing its critical role in Sri Lanka’s future economic development an HIP press release said.

Chairman of the Council, Sean van Dort who headed the 42-member delegation said it had been a pleasure for Council members to visit the Hambantota Port. “Comparing 2017 to now, we see drastic positive changes that have taken place and we have no hesitation in recommending this beautiful facility that only has the potential to grow and be a diamond in the crown of Sri Lanka,” he added.

The visit centred around inspecting HIP’s current facilities and discussions on future plans, with the port’s management team, who briefed the Council on upcoming developments and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. During the discussions, the Council delegates inquired about additional shipping lines calling at HIP and the prospect of establishing a feeder service from Hambantota to Colombo. HIP officials indicated that while negotiations are ongoing with shipping lines, current trade volumes did not yet warrant a dedicated feeder service, the release explained.

Chullante Jayasuriya, Honorary member of Sri Lanka Shippers Council said, “This is my second official visit. The first one was in 2016 when we were here for the 50th Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Shippers Council, and what I saw today was the remarkable development and progress that the port has achieved in a mere span of eight years, and it all goes very well for the future of the country and for the future of the economy of the country. We had three very impressive presentations by the port’s senior management, which left nothing to doubt. They also showed us their plans for the future. I have every hope that these plans will come to fruition and that we will have a second international-class port in the south of the country.”

On their 2016 visit to HIP, to mark the new Shippers Council’s 50th anniversary, they had planted 50 king coconut and cashew plants at the port. This time too council members planted king coconut trees to commemorate their visit and support HIP’s green initiatives.

Visiting members of the Shippers Council represented some of the most esteemed institutions in Sri Lanka. A key point they raised at the discussion was the need for improved connectivity, suggesting a rail line between Hambantota and Colombo to ease transportation costs and congestion, particularly when Colombo Port is at full capacity.

Bindu Ranasinghe, Deputy General Manager HIP, while acknowledging the importance of the request, clarified that rail infrastructure was outside HIP’s current scope. However, he informed the council that the port was actively engaged in exploring cost-effective transport alternatives to benefit the country’s shippers and consignees.

The Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council, established over 50 years ago, represents a significant portion of the country’s import/export trade, with its membership spanning Chambers of Commerce, Trade Associations, and several other diverse organisations. The Council remains committed to advocating fair freight rates, preventing surcharge increases, settling trade disputes, and advancing shipping awareness.

The latest visit to HIP by the Sri Lanka Shippers Council further affirms the support extended to the port.  It is also an acknowledgment of the pivotal role HIP plays in strengthening Sri Lanka’s position in the global trade network and its evolution into a world-class hub in the southern region of the island.