Colombo Plan’s Maritime Advisory Programme completes one year

The latest addition to the portfolio of the only intergovernmental organisation based in Sri Lanka, The Colombo Plan, is the Maritime Advisory Programme (MAP), which represents a strategic response to the complex maritime challenges and focuses on enhancing maritime safety, security and connectivity with the aim to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange.

With funding support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs via the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, The Colombo Plan launched the MAP with the Port of Colombo as a pilot project in partnership with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

This project aims to enhance the SLPA’s human resource capabilities through professional training in alignment with the global standards and best practices.

The MAP (Port of Colombo Capacity Building Project) launch was held in Colombo, with the occasion graced by Ports Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva and United States of America to Sri Lanka Ambassador Julie Chung. 

As a collaboration between The Colombo Plan and the Commercial Law Development Programme (CLDP) of the United States Department of Commerce, a public-private partnership workshop on the port sector was conducted by Rebel Group (Netherlands) Senior Port Consultant Wim Welvaarts along with The Colombo Plan Port of Colombo Capacity Building Project Lead Consultant Rohan Masakorala, who played an important role in the workshop, which was coordinated by CLDP Senior Counsel Lindsey Scannell and Senior International Programme Specialist Maxwell Gruber. South Asia Gateway Terminals CEO Romesh David contributed as a guest speaker.  

The first workshop of The Colombo Plan MAP focused on ‘Empowering Communications for Maritime Connectivity’. The occasion was graced by The Colombo Plan Secretary General Benjamin P. Reyes, Regional Indo-Pacific Strategy Coordinator Dustin Bickel, Deputy Director for Security Assistance John Wise and SLPA Chairman Kieth Bernard. 

Delegates from the SLPA also participated in a port study visit to the Port of Virginia Authority (VPA), Norfolk, in the United States. During this visit, the SLPA signed a memorandum of cooperation with the VPA for information and knowledge exchange for mutual growth and enhanced connectivity. 

The Colombo Plan successfully conducted the Skill Connect Training Course on Effective Negotiation for Maritime Professionals, organised for 40 staff members of the SLPA. The training session was facilitated by Tissa Dissanayake.