Lanka seeks more shipping business with B\\\'desh

Bangladesh can slash shipping times to Europe, the USA and Canada East Coast, the Middle and Africa by transshipping from Colombo, Sri Lanka’s ports agency chief has said. A delegation made up of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Priyath Wickrama, Additional ports ministry secretary Anuradha Wijekoon and Chairman Ceylon Shipping Corporation Jayanath Colombage visited Bangladesh recently. They had met Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Secretary Syed Monjurul Islam and chairmen of Chittagong and Mongla ports authorities. “Discussions were focused to increase connectivity between Bangladesh and Sri Lankan ports, establishment of coastal shipping, explore investment opportunities and consultancy services in the port sector,” the SLPA said in a statement after the visit. The SLPA statement noted that feeder calls between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has already started to rise. During the meetings, Wickrema said export containers can get lower rates and slash the time taken to reach ports in the US East Coast, Canada, Europe, the Mediterranean, Gulf and Africa by four days by transshipping containers through Colombo. An agreement to promote shipping connectivity between the two countries has been signed, the statement said, according to a news agency.