Thursday Feb 19, 2026
Thursday Feb 19, 2026
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| Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake |
Maritime industry veteran professional and corporate leader Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake has been appointed as the new Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) in what would be his third innings in this position.
To take up the latest post on an honorary basis, Dr. Dissanayake has resigned as the Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Aitken Spence PLC and Group companies.
Prior to the appointment as SLPA Chairman, in early January this year, Dr. Dissanayake was appointed Adviser to the President on Maritime, Ports and Logistics.
Dr. Dissanayake is no stranger to the ports and shipping sector. Apart from being the SLPA Chairman twice, he also had a stint as the Secretary to the Cabinet Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development.
Through team effort during his first stint, SLPA was ranked as the most Profitable Organisation in Sri Lanka by Dun & Bradstreet Corporation (UK) and Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) was conferred the award for the most Productive Organisation in the Large-Scale Category, at the National Productive Awards ceremony.
During his second stint through team effort, SLPA achieved its highest profit of Rs. 13.1 billion and in the 1st half of 2018, the Port of Colombo was ranked as the No. 01 fastest growing Container Port in the World, by Dynaliners.
He was also the 1st non-British International President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers UK founded in 1911 and Royal Charter conferred in 1920 (UK), Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Sri Lanka) and Chairman Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (Sri Lanka).
He has served on the UN/UNCTAD Panel as an Expert on Shipping and is a member of the International Association of Maritime Economists. He has qualified as a Chartered Shipbroker (FICS UK), a Chartered Fellow of (Logistics and Transport) (FCILT UK), considered as the highest Chartered Professional qualification in the field of Maritime / Logistics Management. A Graduate in Professional Shipping (NORAD) OSLO Norway with a Distinction and has qualified as a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM UK) and trained in Shipping in Tokyo Japan under a JICA Fellowship.
As Chairman/CEO of Aitken Spence Maritime he gave leadership to Aitken Spence, the 1st Sri Lankan company to engage in Port Management overseas in the African Continent and the 1st Sri Lankan company to pursue a Public Private Partnership in Port Management, in South Pacific Islands.
He is a Business Alumni University of Oxford (UK), Postgraduate Alumni of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Business Administration and Marketing Management and has pursued Executive Management Education at Harvard Business School USA and University of Cambridge UK. He has been conferred with the Asia Brand Leadership Award by CMO Asia, Best Shipping Personality by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, Sri Lanka and was inducted as a “Legend of Logistics” at the National Logistics Awards ceremony. He is also the Hon. Consul in Sri Lanka for the Republic of Fiji.
