Customs union meeting disrupts cargo clearance, trade voices concern

Friday, 6 February 2026 01:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Private sector stakeholders yesterday reported a disruption to import and export cargo clearance after operations at Sri Lanka Customs slowed or stopped during the afternoon, citing the absence of officers attending a union meeting.

Industry sources said cargo clearance effectively came to a standstill from around 1 p.m., with Customs officers in Colombo attending the meeting and officers at outstations suspending work while awaiting instructions.

A spokesperson for Sri Lanka Customs confirmed that a union meeting had taken place but said operational details were limited.

“The meeting was in the afternoon for about two hours, and Customs officials resumed their duties thereafter,” the spokesperson said, adding that the administration was not aware of the specific matters discussed at the meeting.

Private sector representatives expressed concern over the disruption, noting that even short stoppages at Customs can delay shipments, increase demurrage costs, and disrupt tightly scheduled supply chains, particularly for time-sensitive imports and exports.

Traders said the incident highlighted the continued vulnerability of trade operations to internal disruptions, despite broader efforts to improve efficiency and predictability at border agencies.