Delegates from Maersk met with senior officials of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority at the SLPA Headquarters in Port of Colombo to discuss operational performance and future collaboration concerning Maersk vessel and terminal activities in Colombo.
The Maersk delegation included Karan Tariyal, Head of Hubs – Maersk Dubai (TbM Operations – IMEA), Biju Ravi, Country Manager – Sri Lanka & Maldives, and Thilina Perera, Port Captain / Port Execution Lead – Colombo. Representing SLPA were Chairman Dr Parakrama Dissanayake, Vice Chairman Eng. Herath M. P. Jayawardhana, Managing Director, Eng. Ganaka Hemachandra, and Additional Managing Director – Operations Prabath J. Malavige, along with other senior officials.
Discussions focused on operational challenges impacting vessel turnaround times, berth planning, schedule reliability, transshipment coordination, and Inter-terminal Trucking (ITT) operations, while also addressing broader port execution efficiency within the Port of Colombo.
Both parties highlighted the strategic importance of Colombo within Maersk’s regional network spanning the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, and the Africa corridor. The meeting also stressed the need for stronger terminal coordination, improved handling efficiency, faster response mechanisms, and continued operational enhancements to support rising cargo volumes and strengthen Colombo’s position as a leading regional transshipment hub.
As one of the world’s largest integrated shipping and logistics operators, Maersk operates a global container fleet capacity exceeding four million TEUs, with extensive connectivity across major East–West and intra-Asia trade routes, reinforcing Colombo’s role as a key node in global maritime trade.