Second edition of top maritime conference to begin on May 1

The second edition of Sri Lanka Ports, Trade & Logistics Conference, Exhibition & Awards will be held at the Hilton Hotel, Colombo, from May 1 to 3. Organized by Seatrade and hosted by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the three-day event will include a two-day conference session, an exhibition, a gala dinner and awards ceremony, complemented by a cricket afternoon, a hosted port visit, and networking opportunities.

The event will be inaugurated on May 1 with a cricket day. As a pre-conference social networking activity, with the former Sri Lankan cricketer and Chairman of the Cricket Selecting Committee Sanath Jayasuriya, as the guest of honour.

The conference and exhibition will be inaugurated on May 2 by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Minister of Petroleum Industries Anura Yapa, Minister of Port and Highways (Projects) Rohitha Abegunawardhane, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, the Director General of Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat Saliya Wickremasuriya, and other senior officials representing ports, aviation and tourism will also be present.

International speakers including top officials from Essar Ports, ADPC, Class NK, Colombo International Container Terminals, Colombo Dockyard PLC, and other international leaders from the maritime and logistics industry will also speak.

The two-day conference sessions will focus on important themes from the maritime and logistics industry, including successfully creating state-of-the-art port and maritime facilities, financing and investing in major maritime and transport projects in Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean transport infrastructure projects, offshore and onshore energy development and production in Sri Lanka, protecting against threats at sea, waterborne tourism and marina development and a workshop about successful free-zone development.

The Awards Ceremony will feature as part of the Sri Lanka Ports, Trade and Logistics Gala Dinner on May 2, with Namal Rajapaksa as guest of honour. International and domestic conference attendees are invited to attend this prestigious evening, honouring the most accomplished and dynamic maritime companies and executives in the country. Award-winning SKY News Anchor and Presenter, Jeremy Thompson is confirmed as moderator for the Keynote Session on 2nd May and will also be Master of Ceremonies for the Awards Ceremony.