Merchant Shipping Secretariat awarded ISO 9001:2008

Director General of Merchant Shipping Ajith Seneviratne presenting the ISO 9001:2008 standard certification to Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga

The shipping administration of Sri Lanka, Merchant Shipping Secretariat, was recently awarded with the ISO 9001:2008 standard certification by Sri Lanka Standard Institution Director System Certification T.G.G Dharmawardena at Merchant Shipping Secretariat office, Colombo 01.  
The institution was remarked as the first company in South Asia which obtained standard certification by following rules introduced by International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The chief guest at the event Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga extending his warm wishes to the team at Merchant Shipping Secretariat urged the need for transparency in every activity related to the country’s shipping sector. 
The concluding ceremony of National Training Course on Marine and Incident Investigation was also held parallel to the event. 

The activities of the Merchant Shipping Secretariat are basically governed by the Merchant Shipping Act No.52 of 1971, Licensing of Shipping Agents act No. 10 of 1972 and also the relevant clauses of the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act No. 40 of 1983 and subsequent regulations made thereafter. 
Merchant Shipping Secretariat deals with ensuring safety of life and property at sea, maritime education, training, examination and certification, registration of ships under Sri Lanka flag, licensing of shipping agents, container depot operators, container terminal operators, container freight stations, freight forwarders or a non vessel operating common carriers and implementing provisions of all applicable international maritime conventions and national regulations.

 The Director General of Merchant Shipping Ajith Seneviratne said the certificate obtained would be an advantage to confidently face audit inspections by IMO in the future.   
The official website of the Merchant Shipping Secretariat www.dgshipping.gov.lk was also launched during the event.  

The ceremony was attended by Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dammika Ranatunga, Secretary of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping L.P.Jayampathi and other distinguished guests.