Dr. Dissanayake assumes duties as SLPA Chairman. SLPA Vice Chairman P.G. Dasanayake, Managing Director H.D.A.S. Premachandra, Executive Director H.A. Wimalasooriya and Director (Logistics) Upali De Zoysa are also present

The appointment of Dr.Parakrama Dissanayake was made by Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, fulfilling a long awaited requirement of SLPA to have a professionally qualified personality as the institution’s Chairman. 
SLPA Vice Chairman P.G. Dasanayake, Managing Director H.D.A.S. Premachandra, Executive Director H.A. Wimalasooriya, executive staff members of the higher management and all heads of divisions of SLPA were also present at the occasion.
Dr. Dissanayake is a past SLPA Chairman (2001 – 2004) and also a past  Chairman of  state-owned Jaya Container Terminals Ltd., and Sri Lanka Port Management Consultancy Services Ltd.

Dr. Dissanayake, who serves on the UN/UNCTAD panel as an expert on ports and shipping, is a past Chairman of Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, past Chairman of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Sri Lanka branch) and a past Chairman of Central Advisory Council of Sri Lanka Transport Board. 
He is a member of the Faculty Industry Consultative Board of the University of Moratuwa, and currently serves as the Chairman of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Steering Committee on ports, shipping, aviation and logistics. 
He was recently elected as the first non-British international President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers U.K. 
Before his present appointment as SLPA Chairman, Dr. Dissanayake served as the Chairman/CEO of Aitken Spence Maritime, Logistics and Cargo and Director – Aitken Spence PLC. 
Expressing views following assumption of duties as the new SLPA Chairman, Dr. Dissanayake thanked the Minister Samarasinghe for the confidence placed in appointing him as Chairman SLPA. 
“I must say that the honourable minister has a tremendous vision for the maritime sector of Sri Lanka and to bring the ports sector to the glorious past,” he said.  
Dr. Dissanayake stated that the challenges ahead being a part of the global shipping chain should be well identified by all engaged in the Sri Lankan maritime sector. 
“Earlier we had four shipping alliances and now three alliances; which means there is concentration amongst shipping lines. The shipping lines have got enormous power over the selection of ports. Last year the top 20 container shipping lines lost about US $ 15 billion pointing to the enormity of the global challenges we are faced with.  
And more importantly, the East-West trade route, where the Port of Colombo is situated, we should understand that within the next two years, the ships plying will have 90 percent of ultra large container vessels. Under the new leadership, Sri Lanka Ports Authority would like to make things happen and with the advice of the minister, we hope we can take SLPA to a different height.”
Dr. Dissanayake, who is  a top professional and maritime economist and renowned  personality in the global maritime sector, has obtained his MBA/PhD and qualified as a Chartered Marketer (FCIM) U.K., is the first Sri Lankan to have obtained both the highest Chartered Qualifications in Shipping (FICS/Chartered  Shipbrokers) U.K., and Transport and Logistics (Chartered Fellow Logistics and Transport) UK.  
He is also the only individual to chair both the highest professional bodies in the maritime and transport logistics sectors in Sri Lanka. 
He has authored numerous articles and presented papers on shipping, ports and marketing related matters. Dr. Dissanayake who was conferred with the Asian Brand Leadership award by CMO Asia is a University of Oxford Business Alumni, Graduate of Harvard Business School (EEP) on ‘Global Economy’ and a Fellow of NORAD and JICA.