Colombo Port congestion worrying: TN trade body

The Madurai-based Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNCCI) has complained to the Sri Lankan government about increasing delays in transshipment at Colombo Port due to mounting congestion at the harbour.

S Rathinavelu, senior president of the TNCCI told the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Sri Lankan Minister of Commerce, Rishad Bathiutheen, here earlier this week that transshipment of goods from India took five to 10 days when it should not take more than a day. A year ago, it took only one day, he pointed out. 

“We have requested the Lankan authorities to give priority to Indian cargo because Indian cargo accounts for 70 per cent of Colombo’s port’s transshipment business,” Rathinavelu told Express here on Sunday. He was in the island nation at the head of a 50-member TNCCI delegation to hold talks on business and industrial collaboration between south TN and Sri Lanka.

MoU Signed

On September 21, TNCCI and CCCI signed an MoU to share information on business opportunities, laws, rules and regulations and render professional and legal assistance to traders and investors from the two regions.   Rathinavelu wanted  Lankan government to reduce the duty on ayurvedic products which stood at an unacceptable INR 1,600 per keg.

The members of the TNCCI delegation expressed interest in setting up two and three star hotels in Colombo for the use of small traders and other travellers. As of now, Sri Lanka has many five star hotels but not enough two and three star hotels. The delegates saw trading opportunities in textiles, food packaging and food processing.

Rathinavelu hailed the starting of daily flights between Madurai and Colombo on September 20 and said it was the result of a 15-year campaign by the TNCCI. The Lankan airline, Mihin Air, is to start a daily service from December 7.

TN Investment in Jaffna

R Jayasekaran, president of the Jaffna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urged TNCCI to start small industries in Jaffna which would provide jobs to youth in the northern peninsula.

Jayasekaran said that items like vests, undergarments, socks and other textile products could be manufactured in Jaffna and invited the TNCCI to participate in the Jaffna International Trade Fair in January 2013. He further said that the cost of goods from India would come down considerably if the Kankesanthurai harbour and the Palaly airport were used for import-export trade.