Business Shipping

New boat factory for Ceynor

Maalik Aziz

Ceynor Holdings will invest over Rs. 70 m to build a new boat manufacturing plant in Beruwala, chairman of Ceynor Holdings Limited Rohan Jayasinghe told the Daily News Business.

Ceynor Holdings currently owns a boat manufacturing plant in Mattakkuliya and also two fish net manufacturing plants in Wennappuwa which is situated in the north western province and another in Weerawila, Hambantota.

They have also begun manufacturing other fibreglass products such as sanitaryware and body shells for vehicles.

“Ceynor Holdings has teamed up with Micro Cars to build the body shells,” Jayasinghe stated. Ceynor also has ties with other leading companies such as Renault and Tata group of India.

Jayasinghe also said they are in the process of building a 55-foot ‘long liner’ boat which would be ready by mid 2008.

They are also planning on building luxury vessels that will be exported to European countries. “Ceynor have got the certification of ISO 9001 which will help to promote exports,” said Jayasinghe.

Ceynor Holdings Ltd is currently in the process of building fishing boats with modern technology. Jayasinghe said that forty per cent of all fishermen’s catch goes waste by the time the fishermen reach the shore.

Because of this they are planning to install freezers in the fishing boats. Currently they have a workforce of over 400 personnel employed in different parts of the island.

Ceynor Holdings began partnership between Sri Lanka and Norway in 1967, which was intended to produce high quality boats and fish, nets and sell them at a nominal cost to help the fishing industry in Sri Lanka.

Metro International Asia unleashes potential

Metro International Asia (Pvt) Ltd commenced operation as an International Freight forwarder logistics, NVOCC agent on a low profile and activated operations from office situated at Hotel Galadari with a handful of staff in its payroll, said its Chairman Managing Director Dinesh Rodrigo.

The Company expanded its Freight forwarding activities by opening 05 subsidiaries in India registered under Metro International (India) Inc and strategically located in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi & Cochin which moves intensified the flow of cargo movements to and from Sri Lanka to India and also activated volumes on transshipments to destinations in India, he said.

Another notable achievement during it’s short spell in operation was the formation of Danzac Consortium which has a membership of seven countries from the Indian sub-Continent and with its formation has greatly contributed to the flow of Cargo movements among the member countries and also Colombo being afforded the opportunity for storage of SOCs which opportunity gives Metro easy access to meet its container requirements on Export cargo.

While trading activities are carried out with countries in the Indian Sub continent, UK continent and Mediterranean Ports etc... focus of attention on Imports is placed on movements from the Far East where corporation extended by counter parts in Japan and China have been of great assistance in building up firm business relationship, Rodrigo said.

From its initial small beginnings over the years the company steadily progressed and all credit to its present standing and recognition by the shipping community in Sri Lanka and abroad mainly goes to the untiring efforts and correct approach in the promotion of trading activities by its Chairman, Managing Director Dinesh Rodrigo a well recognized and popular figure among the shipping circles in Sri Lanka and abroad counting over 20 years freight forwarding and Liner shipping experience ably assisted by his Director Father Joe Rodrigo another well known figure among the shipping community counting over 46 years in the trade combined with talented and dedicated personal that comprise the staff have contributed to the formation of Metro International asia into a progressive and dynamic organization as it stands today operating from “Metro Court”, No. 119, Level-3, Hunupitiya Lake Road, Colombo 02, a press release states.

Abundant jobs for Lankan seafarers

The Maritime Administration of the United Kingdom and the Maritime Administration of Sri Lanka entered into an agreement in order to recognise certificates of competency issued by either administration in accordance with regulation 1/10 of the Standards of Training. Certification and Watch keeping for seafarers (STCW) 1978 as amended in 1995.

The Merchant Shipping Division of the Ministry of Ports and Aviation has approved several establishments for maritime training in Sri Lanka and conducts examinations leading to the issue of certificates of competency to Sri Lankan seafarers which facilitate employment in foreign and local flag ships.

A few years ago, after having called for a comprehensive submission on maritime training and certification system details from each member country, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) determined that Sri Lanka was giving full and complete effect to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping (STCW) convention of the IMO and this opened a window of opportunity for Sri Lankan seafarers.

Shipping companies around the world were now willing to employ Sri Lankan Certificated officers and ratings and, having done so, were more than satisfied with their high standards of performance as well as their highly disciplined and pleasing behaviour.

These companies, which initially employed junior navigating and engineering officers, started recruiting more and more senior officers, and are now employing Sri Lankan certificated Captains and Chief Engineers on their ships.

The Maritime Administrations of the countries where ships employing Sri Lankan seafarers were registered. had to enter into an agreement with the Sri Lankan administration in order to comply with the procedure adopted by the IMO.

This prompted maritime administrations from various countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Norway, Germany to enter into agreements with Sri Lanka.

The United Kingdom, whose maritime training and certification system is widely accepted as the bench-mark for maritime training sent a team of maritime professionals to audit the Sri Lankan maritime training and certification system in 2005.

Vietnam to launch express ferry

Vietnam will next week launch its first ocean ferry service for passengers and cars between a northern port near Hanoi and the southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City, a company official said Tuesday.

An Italian-made ship that can carry 1,000 passengers and 500 cars will make the journey twice a week, sailing along the South China Sea coast. The trip will take 48 hours, and includes an eight hour stop near the central city of Hue.

The Vinashin Ocean Shipping Company (Vinashinlines) link begins December 13 and will connect the Hon Gai port in northern Quang Ninh province with Nha Rong port in Vietnam’s largest city and port, formerly called Saigon.

Vinashinlines plans to buy a second ship by May next year and may later need up to five more vessels for the route, said spokesman Pham Vu Dong.

AFP

SLPA capitalising on strategic location in Sri Lanka

Answering the audience at the seminar conducted by Asian Development Bank (ADB) in association with the Academy for Internal Trade and Transport, held recently at the Waters Edge, the Additional Managing Director of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Capt. Nihal Keppetipola said.

“Sri Lanka Ports Authority has been capitalising on the strategic location of Sri Lanka and we can’t be content with this concept alone in the future as this strength is gradually diminishing.

He said, Commerce and Port are growing rapidly globally and in the sub continent, and keeping with the global trend and to emerge as a “Total Package Port”; Colombo needs to rise from the “Basic Traditional Service Port” to a “Superior Service Port”.

Whilst moving ahead with SLPA’s strategic management and infrastructure plan to capture the container volume growth, he stressed that value addition is the key emerge as a leading service hub in the region.

All stakeholders should contribute conscientiously towards this aspiration, rather than working in isolation, it’s time for institutions to work together in strategizing the development of a Logistic Hub in Sri Lanka.

We should combine Colombo into a transshipment Mega port, EXIM service port and a Logistic Center Port”, he said.

Mr. Upul Jayatissa the adepted Marketing Manager of SLPA assisted Capt. Nihal Keppetipola.