Advantis Projects bridges logistics gap for Sri Lanka’s energy growth

As a nation focused on development and in the midst of transitioning from a lower middle income country to an upper middle income country it is no surprise that Sri Lanka is facing a rise in demand for electricity. 

With ambitious goals and recent economic developments, Sri Lanka has been experiencing a 4% annual increase in electricity consumption. This growth is led by the domestic and hotel sectors with domestic alone accounting for at least 40% of the electricity consumed – a steep contrast from developed nations that only witness 20% domestic consumption.

Rapid urbanisation and a growing population with more disposable income have put a strain on the electrical grid that needs to be alleviated. This became evident in a series of island-wide power outages in early 2016. If Sri Lanka is to achieve its long term goals and take its place on the world stage, then it will need to resolve this critical issue by securing additional power sources. Sri Lanka’s electricity regulator, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), said as much when they recommended the Power and Energy Ministry take urgent steps to purchase new power plants in order to avoid a power crisis.

However, a major hurdle in the construction of power plants in developing countries has been the installation of the large, heavy generators that produce the electricity in a power plant. The poor infrastructure within the country including narrow road network, low overhead wires, and weak bridges can make it difficult to transport oversized cargo. 

Additionally, the lack of skills and logistical expertise in these regions have been a factor that made these projects problematic if not impossible in the past. Due to this reason, Sri Lanka has relied on foreign expertise to manage the transportation of such generators making it an added financial burden to the country. However, today it is no longer the case thanks to a more experienced and mature local industry. At the forefront of this industry is Advantis Projects (formally known as Logiventures Ltd.), a subsidiary of the Hayleys Group, who have the necessary expertise and the specialised equipment to manage such projects, providing an end-to-end logistics solution that caters to specific needs. With a wealth of knowledge and strategic partnerships across the region they are also able to draw upon the expertise of foreign consultants if the situation should call for it, while ensuring that costs are contained, through the local management of the project. Their track record includes an array of projects that required bespoke solutions utilising specialised equipment – such as multi-axle trailers with the ability to transport cargo up to 300MT in weight – owned only by them, customs clearance, liaising with relevant organisations to ensure the smooth transportation of cargo, and marine logistics facilities such as vessel chartering and providing barges. All these features are supplemented with their in-house logistics team which include master mariners. By using in-house expertise and owning the specialised equipment needed to successfully accomplish these projects Advantis Projects is able to provide the fast end-to-end transfer of heavy cargo easily and safely.

Advantis Projects General Manager Shadil Rizan said: “We approach each project with a view of accomplishing it safely, on budget and on time. We are able to do this thanks to our wealth of knowledge in handling an array of different logistics projects over varying terrain using a myriad of solutions. We are a highly coordinated team that rely on precision planning to accomplish our tasks.”

Advantis Projects’ movement of heavy cargo for the power and energy sector covers a vast array of projects including the handling of windmill cargo for the renewable energy sector which required ship to shore ground logistics in the North of Sri Lanka, for the successful installation of 16 wind turbines in Pallali. There was also the transportation of four 100 ton diesel engine generators from the Horana BOI zone to Lahore, Pakistan which required a mix of ground and marine logistics solutions as well as liaising with all stakeholders. It is logistics providers like this that will enable the growth of Sri Lanka’s energy sector and pave the way for the country to achieve its economic goals.

Advantis Projects is the market leader in providing project logistics solutions to local and international contractors who are involved in large-scale infrastructure projects. The company brings over 16 years of experience and a proven delivery record that has been driven with technology innovation and adherence to industry best practices. The company specialises in freight, chartering, Customs clearance and forwarding (C&F), project and general cargo handling, inland transportation, storage facilities, and numerous services related to logistics chains.