September 21, Colombo (LNW)Tobias Pierlings, Director and Head of Division for South Asia and Southeast Asia at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, along with a delegation from the German Embassy in Sri Lanka, visited the Hambantota International Port (HIP) last week to explore potential business opportunities and assess the port’s capabilities.
Bindu Ranasinghe, Deputy General Manager of Commercial and Marketing at HIPG, briefed the delegation on the port’s recent advancements, highlighting growth in RORO, bulk, oil and gas cargoes, and the expansion of container operations aligned with the development of the industrial zone.
“This visit allowed the German delegation to experience firsthand the ongoing developments at the Hambantota International Port. We discussed future opportunities for German businesses, including our planned expansions and significant investments in various sectors, including container operations,” said Ranasinghe. The discussions also touched on HIP’s rapid development as a commercial hub and the expansion of the cruise sector, which has opened new business avenues for associated industries. The Deputy General Manager also noted the growth in local employment at the port, which has nearly tripled since HIPG took over.
The German delegation included Olaf Malchow, Deputy Head of Mission Counselor at the German Embassy in Colombo; Marie Antonia von Schönburg, Chief Delegate of the Delegation for German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka; Dharini Daluwatte, Advisor for Trade, Development, and Political Affairs; and Malintha Gajanayake, Head of Corporate Affairs and Export Promotions.
The visitors were given a comprehensive overview of the port’s state-of-the-art facilities and a panoramic view of the entire complex from the 12th floor of HIP’s flagship Maritime Center Building.
