Sri Lanka container volumes rise near 50 per cent
The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has reported a record 48 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise in container volumes in the first quarter (Q1 2024).
The total grew from 441,032 to 652,766 TEU. SLPA ascribed this spike to a number of issues, including the Red Sea crisis and its broader ramifications.
SLPA’s transshipment throughput in the first three months of this year totalled 582,403 TEU, a 49.81 per cent increase over the same period last year.
This growth contributed to the Port of Colombo’s (POC) overall transshipment volume, which reached 1.72 million TEU in the first three months of this year, a 24.20 per cent increase over the same period in 2023.
Keith Bernard, Chairman of the SLPA, emphasised that the port is ready to become a vital transshipment hub for the Middle East, as many shipping lines reroute boats to avoid current concerns in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
“SLPA staff and workers have handled this situation diligently and efficiently, in the face of challenges,” he said.
SLPA and the POC have effectively managed the situation which has resulted in a significant increase in throughput.
The POC experienced a substantial surge in volumes, reaching 2 million TEU, a notable increase of 24 per cent.
Furthermore, the completion of the East Container Terminal (ECT) Stage II and the acquisition of new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes will further enhance POC’s position as a leading shipping hub in the region.
CIPM Great HR Debate 2024 to be held alongside the National HR Conference
CIPM Sri Lanka – the Nation’s leader in human resource management, will conduct the Grand Finale of the Great HR Debate 2024, the flagship corporate debating challenge alongside the proceedings of the National HR Conference to be held on 5th and 6th June at the Monarch Imperial. Texlan Center (Pvt) Ltd, Nestle’ Lanka Limited, IFS R & D International (Pvt) Ltd, A. Baur & Co. (Pvt) Ltd., H Connect International (Pvt) Ltd, McLarens Group, Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd, Aitken Spence PLC, and Jay Jay Mills Lanka (Pvt) Ltd are the companies who have nominated their teams to participate in the debating championship.
“The Great HR Debate has helped participants to nurture and develop critical thinking and innovation, challenge assumptions, and explore unconventional solutions while embracing intellectual curiosity. We are delighted that the Great HR Debate has been able to set a trend of intellectual inquiry and creativity amongst the fraternity, resulting in continuous organizational improvement and adaptability in the face of change,” said Ken Vijayakumar – President, CIPM Sri Lanka.
An announcement from SriLankan Airlines
SriLankan Airlines wishes to clarify an incident concerning Flight UL 503 to London which was diverted to Vienna international airport in Austria due to a medical emergency. We confirm that on 1 May 2024, Flight UL 503, bound for London with 272 passengers, was diverted to Vienna due to a medical emergency involving a passenger who required urgent medical attention.
Subsequently, the flight experienced a delay in departure due to a technical issue, preventing it from reaching the Heathrow Airport before its scheduled closure at 22:00hrs London time. Consequently, Flight UL 503 was rescheduled for departure the following day, with all passengers who had visa to Europe provided with accommodation in Vienna.