Sri Lanka Shippers' Council welcomes shipping proposals in budget

The Sri Lanka Shippers' Council, the apex body which represents the interest of the shippers, has welcomed what it calls 'timely reforms' presented in the budget pertaining to the shipping sector.

Reforms that will become law effective from January 2014 have been highlighted since the late 1990' s by the Shippers' Council together with the Exporters' Association of Sri Lanka ( EASL) the consecutive governments without success. Ever since, the council has continuously lobbied for these most vital reforms at every given opportunity and has been a discussion point at many public forums, it said in a media statement.

" The President has looked at anti- competitive practices pragmatically and has not intervened in pricing but proposed a mechanism to ensure fair trading practices from which all stake hold- ers of the supply chain and consumers in particular will benefit. The reforms proposed in the budget will ensure transparency, and eliminate unethical and unfair trade practices hereto practiced by service providers of the shipping industry. It is envisaged that a vast sum of foreign ex- change will be saved when these reforms become law. Therefore the council together with all other stake holders of the shippers' community will extend their fullest co- operation to the authorities to amend the relevant acts so that the laws will be enacted as early as possible," the statement said.

The council said that by strengthening and empowering the Director General of Merchant Shipping with the necessary legislative powers a mechanism is in place to guard against any anti- competitive practices within the shipping industry.