With return of peace:

ASC shifts headquarters to Colombo

by Gamini WARUSHAMANA

The end of the 30 year war has started to pay dividends to the country which is evident by the Asian Shippers Council’s (ASC) decision to shift its headquarters to Colombo from Singapore, said the new Secretary General of the ASC, Rohan Masakorala. The decision was taken at the ASC meeting held recently in Colombo which is expected to help Sri Lanka in a big way in the new chapter of the country, the post war development, he said.

Masakorala said that in the past the Council failed even in getting an international meeting of the ASC to Colombo because Sri Lanka was named as a country that is not safe even to visit.

However, after the end of the war in May, two important meetings of the ASC were held in Colombo in July and August, he said.

At the 5th annual meeting of the ASC in August 15 the member councils unanimously decided to move its secretariat from Singapore to Colombo with immediate effect.

At the meeting the members have unanimously decided to appoint the co-convenor of the Indian Subcontinent for the ASC, Rohan Masakorala as its first Secretary General.

The Chairman of the ASC John Y.Lu in a press communique issued in Singapore has commented on the decision. “With the improved security following the country’s successful campaign against the separatist Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka is an ideal centre for non-governmental institutions.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, with English speaking people, distinct cost advantages and enjoys good international relations. ASC would like to take the lead by being the first regional organisation in the shipping industry to be based in Sri Lanka after the war”.

Masakorala said that this ASC’s decision gives a strong message of confidence and a very clear signal to the investors, tourism industry and in general to the business community. The outcome of this move does not only highlight the importance of Colombo as a regional trans-shipment and aviation hub, it also helps to disseminate the correct information to the global shipping community after many years of negative publicity, he said.

The port sector in Sri Lanka is developing rapidly with expansion of the Colombo port and the new Hambantota port.

Positioning of ASC’s headquarters in Colombo will help the country to achieve the mega hub status with the strategic location of the country in a major maritime route.