Message from Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents Chairman Capt. Ajith Peiris

The Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA) is in strategic partnership with this year’s Colombo International Maritime Conference (CIMC), as the premier body which represents the Maritime industry in Sri Lanka. CASA functions as the voice of the shipping industry in Sri Lanka and plays a necessary role in assisting the country in becoming a regional maritime hub.

The CIMC, will serve to raise the profile of the maritime industry in Sri Lanka and it will provide a platform for participants to network, exchange ideas and identify new business opportunities. This year’s CIMC will consist of three days of insightful presentations and sessions covering a variety of timely issues pertaining to the maritime industry such as ‘Unleashing Sri Lanka’s potential for investors and service providers – as an island in the ocean of opportunity’ and ‘The role of the maritime industry – in living up to the Sustainable Development Goals’ as well as look in to the Sri Lanka maritime industry vision, opportunities and way forward-among many others.

The three-day conference will provide a thorough understanding of the larger global trade picture and how ports and terminals can serve as effective nodes in maritime trade. The maritime sector is destined to play an important role in the growth of our country’s economy as a trade or manufacturing based economy cannot grow without a well-structured Maritime operation. 

The maritime industry plays an absolutely crucial part of the development agenda of the government. We must evolve and grow if we are to remain at the forefront of maritime services. As such, the objective of CASA in partnering the CIMC this year and in the years to come, is to support sustainable economic growth and to ensure that we create opportunity and prosperity in the area we operate in. 

On behalf The Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA) I congratulate the Organising Committee of CIMC led by Rohan Masakorala and Ruwan Waidyaratne as Co-Chairmen for a well organised conference and three days of thought provoking discussions, which I am sure all participants would enjoy!