Wednesday Sep 16, 2026
Wednesday Sep 16, 2026
Wednesday, 16 September 2026 00:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka could leverage its strategic location on a major global shipping route to develop into a future bunkering hub, with A.P. Moller-Maersk Singapore Managing Director Rene Piil Pedersen identifying green and alternative marine fuels as a potential new growth opportunity for Colombo.
Pedersen said the global shipping industry’s decarbonisation drive, increasingly intertwined with energy security, was creating opportunities for strategically located ports to move beyond traditional transshipment.
“Being a hub creates an opportunity to be more than just a transshipment gateway. It can also become a bunkering hub,” he said during a panel discussion at the Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference 2026, rec
He said the key question for Sri Lanka was whether the country could produce green fuels domestically or source them regionally and make them competitively available to international shipping.
“Becoming a bunkering hub is a genuine opportunity, and one that could also benefit the local economy by creating jobs and building new skills,” Pedersen pointed out.
He said Sri Lanka’s proximity to one of the world’s major shipping routes could make it an attractive refuelling location for international shipowners, provided future fuels were available at competitive prices.
“As a shipowner, we operate around 150 vessels flying the Singapore flag. I’d welcome the opportunity to bunker here,” Pedersen said, adding that he had discussed the possibility with the Ports Minister.
Acknowledging that developing such an ecosystem would not be simple, he stressed that Sri Lanka had a significant geographic advantage that could be converted into a new maritime business opportunity.
The comments come as Maersk itself expands decarbonisation efforts across its logistics network, including terminals, warehouses and landside transport, with electric trucks being introduced in several markets and new terminals designed around renewable energy and lower-carbon operations.
