SLPA preparing 3-year plan to address port sector issues

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) on the advice of Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, is in the process of preparing a three-year development plan to address the current issues of the port sector in keeping with trends of world shipping industry. 
Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake, the recently appointed SLPA Chairman, will lead the campaign with the SLPA management team, in consultation with the minister, a SLPA statement said.
“In keeping with the aspirations of the Minister Samarasinghe’s broader vision for the maritime sector of the country to bring the port sector to its glorious past, SLPA will take all steps to address the current issues of the port sector.
The main objective of the three-year plan is to ensure that current revenue of Rs.44 billion of SLPA is sustained with a double digit growth over the next three years,” SLPA statement said.

On instructions of the minister, the new SLPA management will take necessary action to implement new strategies to improve the efficiency and productivity of SLPA terminals.  SLPA will focus on strategies and opportunities to ensure the development of other ports with innovative business ventures and upgrading of facilities. 
SLPA has also identified the importance of making maximum use of current human capital and will make necessary improvements for the human resources plan. SLPA has always provided with excellent customer care and will also  focus on providing with more facilities to the sector under the three-year development plan.  SLPA will consider the views of port users, trade unions and business community when making the strategic plan to sustain a double digit growth over next three years. 
Keeping in mind with global maritime trends, the Minister of Ports and Shipping is embarking on the establishment of the required capacity through the effective mobilisation of resources. Dr. Dissanayake, during his earlier tenure as SLPA Chairman in 2002 to 2004, was instrumental in bringing in numerous reforms to the ports sector, which propelled the state-owned Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) to improve productivity and efficiency to compete with international container terminals and earn the highest confidence of the industry.