As global trade becomes increasingly driven by speed, efficiency, and digital connectivity, Sri Lanka’s exporters are finding themselves burdened by an older problem bureaucratic delays and hidden logistics costs that continue to inflate the price of doing business.
The Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council (SLSC) has renewed calls for sweeping trade facilitation reforms, warning that unless longstanding inefficiencies are addressed, Sri Lankan businesses risk losing further ground in an increasingly competitive international marketplace.
Speaking at the Council’s 60th anniversary celebrations and 56th Annual General Meeting, Chairman Trisherman Frink argued that hidden logistics expenses remain one of the country’s least visible yet most damaging economic burdens.
According to Frink, repeated documentation requirements, excessive paperwork, prolonged customs clearance procedures, and lengthy container dwell times collectively increase operational costs for exporters and importers. Those costs, he said, eventually weaken the competitiveness of Sri Lankan products in overseas markets.
“As the apex body representing Sri Lankan shippers, we have both a responsibility and an obligation to work with Government, regulators, and industry stakeholders to remove these barriers,” he said.
The Council believes that trade competitiveness today extends well beyond manufacturing quality. International buyers increasingly assess suppliers based on how efficiently goods move through ports, customs, and logistics networks. Delays at any point in the supply chain can translate into missed delivery deadlines, higher freight charges, and lost commercial opportunities.
Frink observed that global supply chains are undergoing rapid transformation as ports compete for cargo, governments digitise border procedures, and international trade policies continue evolving. Against this backdrop, he argued that remaining static is no longer an option.
The Council has therefore intensified engagement with several State institutions, including Sri Lanka Customs, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Board of Investment, the Merchant Shipping Secretariat, the Export Development Board, Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka), and the Asian Development Bank.
Rather than adopting a confrontational approach, the organisation says it has focused on evidence-based advocacy and constructive dialogue, believing that long-term reforms require cooperation between both public and private sectors.
International collaboration has also become a key component of the Council’s strategy. Through active participation in the Asian Shippers’ Alliance and the Global Shippers’ Alliance, the SLSC is monitoring emerging trade trends and bringing global best practices into domestic policy discussions.
Among the Council’s priorities for the coming year are accelerating digital trade facilitation, advocating reforms that improve Sri Lanka’s competitiveness, removing unnecessary logistics barriers, and strengthening partnerships with international organisations.
Frink concluded by emphasising that sustainable progress depends on teamwork rather than individual effort.As Sri Lanka seeks to revive exports and attract greater foreign investment, the Council’s message is clear: improving trade competitiveness will require more than policy promises. Eliminating outdated regulations, reducing border delays, and modernising logistics systems may determine whether the country can successfully position itself within rapidly changing global supply chains