The Port of Colombo has successfully managed a complex heavy-lift operation, berthing MV Rudolf on Tuesday (13 Jan) to handle an ultra-heavy project cargo shipment for the Melwa Cement Ball Mill Project.

According to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), the vessel carried 533 packages with a total weight of 1,725 MT and a volume of 4,600 CBM, including individual units weighing up to 108 MT and 91 MT. 

This was a non-routine operation involving cargo well beyond standard lift limits and required careful planning, appropriate heavy-lift equipment, and controlled execution.

The Conventional Cargo Division of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority completed the discharge within normal port operations, without disruption.

The SLPA added that following discharge, arrangements are in place for the night-time transport of the ultra-heavy components to the Katunayake cement plant using multi-axle carriers, with roadside preparations currently in progress to ensure safe movement. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation says following the assumption of office by the new government, the Ports Authority recorded a post-tax net profit of Rs. 39 billion as of 31 October 2025. 

Issuing a statement, the ministry said that this reflects an increase of around Rs. 12 billion compared to the previous year’s post-tax net profit.

Accordingly, the Ports Authority announced that Rs. 5 billion from these profits will be transferred to the Consolidated Fund.

Of this, Rs. 2 billion was already contributed in September 2025, while a further Rs. 3 billion is scheduled to be transferred in December 2025.

The ministry added that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority had contributed approximately Rs. 10.3 billion to the Consolidated Fund as of 2024. (Newswire) 

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The Sri Lanka Embassy in Belgium, together with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International (PoABI) in Belgium, organized a two-day fact-finding visit for an official delegation from the Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) in June. 

According to the Sri Lankan Embassy, the fact-finding visit, conducted on 23 and 24 June, aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the port sector between Sri Lanka and Belgium.

The visit was a part of the ongoing dialogue between the SLPA and the PoABI initiated by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels in mid-2024, to connect the Colombo Port and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium, the second largest port in Europe. T K. G. L. Hemchandra, the Deputy Harbour Master (Trincomalee), Sriyantha Arampath & H. B. A. Subhashini joined the visit.

During the visit, the SLPA officials held discussions with senior staff of PoABI and Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center (APEC). Vice President of International Relations & Networks at Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority, Luc Arnouts, also joined the discussion. Both sides initiated talks on a prospective Memorandum of Understanding  (MoU) aimed at fostering collaborations in key areas such as information & knowledge exchange, reciprocal visits, sharing of best practices, logistic cooperation, exchange of technical expertise & investment cooperation and support initiatives in port digitalization and innovation.

As part of the programme, the delegation visited the DP World Antwerp Gateway terminal on the left bank of the Scheldt River, where they were able to learn about automation in terminal operations. The team also visited the CMB TECH Hydrogen Refuelling Station in Antwerp.     

The insightful and engaging two-day programme provided the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) delegation with a comprehensive understanding of the operational landscape of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Through meaningful exchanges of ideas and perspectives, both parties laid a strong foundation for future collaboration between the two ports.

The Associate Manager-Regional Lead Indian Subcontinent at PoABI, Achille Sobry, APEC Training Executive-Key Account Indian Subcontinent at APEC, Ken Houtevelts, Minister Commercial of the Embassy, Thavishya Mullegamgoda, and Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Antwerp, Monique De Decker-Deprez, joined the meetings and site visits. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has refuted recent media reports of a party organized on a ship for a group of ruling party members at the Colombo Port.

Video footage emerged of several Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, being entertained while on a ship at the Colombo Port.  

Issuing a statement on the incident, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority said it conducts routine ship tours for politicians, delegates, and journalists to provide an update on the various development projects underway at the Colombo Port.

The Ports Authority further said it had organized a ship tour for a group of MPs and Ministers at the request of Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva and State Minister for Ports and Aviation, Premalal Jayasekara for an observation tour of the development projects. 

The Ports Authority also clarified that it had not incurred expenses for food or any other activities as mentioned in the media reports. (NewsWire)

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