Sri Lanka‘s Hambantota International Port (HIP) announced that it has become the South Asian country’s port to comply with ISO standards.
The internationally-recognized integrated management system standards have been well organized inside Sri Lanka’s second-largest Port – Hambantota International Port and hence the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)has issued the certificate.
On Sunday, in a statement by the Sri Lankan port authority said –
accreditation on quality, environmental protection, and occupational health and safety standards after a process starting in January and an external audit conducted by Bureau Veritas Lanka in July.
CEO of Hambantota International Port Services Company, Ravi Jayawickrame said –
boost marketing and sales efforts and enhance and improve employee performance.
reinforces our commitment to protect the environment and maintain sustainability and to protect the workplace, which will prevent work related injury and ill-health and provides further incentive to continually improve our working conditions
After the Port of Colombo, HIP is Sri Lanka’s second-largest seaport. It was opened on November 18, 2010. Sri Lanka is mainly dependent on its ports on a large scale for its imports and exports. As Sri Lanka is surrounded by the ocean on all sides, such accreditations like the ISO will boost its economy. Also, it is a proud moment for Sri Lanka to achieve it. The HIP is the south Coast port for Sri Lanka.
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It is to be remembered that in July 2017, HIP has signed an agreement with China Merchant Port Holdings which will pool an investment of up to USD 976 million on a 99-years lease.
In 2020, the port handled a business worth 1.8 million tonnes of LPG and dry bulk cargo was carried. It is to be remembered that the newly elected Sri Lankan government has decided to privatise the ports by selling an 80% stake.