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The Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association (FTZMA), the sole trade chamber representing enterprises operating under the Board of Investment (BOI), successfully partnered with Sri Lanka Customs to conduct an in-depth awareness session on the ASYHUB Digital Customs Platform on 25 November, at the FTZMA Auditorium in the Katunayake Export Processing Zone.
The session was led by a dedicated team of officials from the Sri Lanka Customs ICT Directorate, headed by Senior Deputy Director – ICT P.W.A.C. Weeraman, together with Assistant Superintendents M.S. Primali Alwis, P.B. Oshika S. Senarathna, and Madhawa Thilakarathne.
The program recorded strong participation with 73 representatives from BOI enterprises, logistics operators, and courier service providers in attendance.
The Customs team delivered comprehensive insights into the following areas: introduction to ASYHUB, its implementation phases, and future roadmap; importance of pre-arrival processing in modern Customs management; paperless Customs Declaration (CUSDEC) processing and digital documentation; live system demonstration of ASYHUB functionalities; and current operational challenges experienced by ASYHUB users.
A detailed Q&A session concluded the program, enabling participants to clarify practical issues and share user experiences.
ASYHUB, developed under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) ASYCUDA Program, is a next-generation digital platform designed to strengthen connectivity between Sri Lanka Customs and external stakeholders, including shipping lines, freight forwarders, importers, and port authorities.
The platform is expected to enhance risk analysis and cargo profiling; improve legal compliance and regulatory transparency; minimise human interaction, reducing opportunities for discretionary intervention; reduce physical document handling, promoting secure and efficient trade flows; and contribute to the mitigation of bribery and corruption risks.
The FTZMA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting national initiatives aimed at digitising trade processes, enhancing BOI-zone competitiveness, and improving ease of doing business for investment-driven industries.
The FTZMA will continue to collaborate with the Customs and other Government agencies to ensure BOI enterprises are well aligned with emerging digital trade facilitation frameworks.
