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Nimal Siripala pushes for more seagoing jobs
Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva says that although Sri Lanka is an island nation the number of seafarers and people engaged in employment in the maritime sector by Lankans is less 0.1 percent.
Addressing the 56th Annual General Meeting of Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents in Colombo last Wednesday (14), the Minister said: “Sri Lanka being an island nation, we would have diverted young people of Sri Lanka towards Maritime employment opportunities. If you take Philippines, 10 percent of their foreign employment is in the Maritime field which draws large amount of foreign currency to Philippines.”
He said: Our Government and my Ministry has launched an ambitious program to train more seafarers and engineers, craftsman to be employed in the ships. I seek your assistance and also the shipowner’s assistance to absorb more cadets from Sri Lanka which would help us to train more youth in the maritime field and provide them with secure employment.
Sri Lanka moving its way into the top ranks of global sea ports by volume and growth, it is a joint effort of public bodies like SLPA and private organizations collaborating in order to bring international best practices to the industry. With the recent changes in policy, and through the collaboration of experts from both public and private sector bodies like CASA working on the existing issues together, there is a limitless potential for Sri Lanka to be a maritime hub in the region.
Given that 90% of the world trade is transported through oceans, the shipping field is a key factor in the growth of many country economies including Sri Lanka. With the international trade is increasing globally I am sure your role is crucial in the years to come. Considering the fact that Port of Colombo (POC) was ranked as the 15th connected Port, we invite the world shipping lines to consider more transshipment at POC. The cargo that is brought to POC can
be easily connected to the Indian Ports, Africa, Bangladesh, Maldives and Far East. Such service may also provide a competitive price for them. CASA could be the voice of being the brand ambassador in promoting the Port of Colombo as a Transshipment Hub and thereby contribute to the uplift of the growth.
Apart from port infrastructure we identify the need to develop our ancillary services to move forward in the concept of a hub. A successful hub port requires the full range of ancillary port and marine services at competitive prices in order to be attractive to mainline and feeder operators, casual callers and attracting vessels specifically for services even without cargo operations.”
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China pledges continued support for Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, and Independence – Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China
Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, stated that China is committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.
This statement was made during a meeting between President Anura Kumar Disanayake and Zhao Leji, which took place earlier today (16) as part of President Disanayake’s four-day official visit to China.
During the meeting, Chairman Zhao warmly welcomed President Disanayake, further emphasizing that working with Sri Lanka in a continuous and cooperative manner is a key expectation of the Chinese National People’s Congress.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath; Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake; Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong; and Sri Lankan Ambassador to China, Majintha Jayasinghe, were also present at the event.
Business
$3.7 billion foreign direct investment secured during President’s first state visit to China
During President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s four-day state visit to China, Sri Lanka marked a significant milestone by securing the largest foreign direct investment to date. This significant achievement was formalized this morning (16) with the signing of an agreement between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy and Sinopec, a leading Chinese international petroleum corporation.
Under this $3.7 billion investment, a state-of-the-art oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels will be constructed in the Hambantota region. A substantial portion of the refinery’s output is planned for export, further enhancing the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.
This major investment from China is expected to bolster Sri Lanka’s economic growth while uplifting the livelihoods of low-income communities in the Hambantota area. Moreover, the benefits of this project are anticipated to positively impact the overall Sri Lankan population in the near future.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labour and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake and Director General of Government Information H. S. K. J. Bandara, alongside other dignitaries were present when the agreement was signed.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake extended an invitation to Chinese investors to explore investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, emphasizing the nation’s stable governance and transparent economy.
He made these remarks as the keynote speaker at the “Investment Forum” held today (16), jointly organized by Chinese state and private enterprises.
The forum was a significant event during President Disanayake’s third day of his four-day state visit to China, undertaken at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Prominent Chinese corporations, including China Tianying Inc. (CNTY), China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., China Communications Construction Company Ltd., China Petrochemical Corporation (SINOPEC Group), Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd., China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Energy International Group Company Ltd., Guangzhou Public Transport Group and Huawei BYD Auto participated in the event.
President Disanayake also engaged in cordial discussions with the leadership of these corporations.
The forum was attended by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, and Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Majintha Jayasinghe, among others.
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China pledges continued support for Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, and Independence – Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China
$3.7 billion foreign direct investment secured during President’s first state visit to China
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