Business Delegation Visit to Colombo on Sustainable Mobility, Traffic & Public Transport Solutions and Logistics
Driven by Sri Lanka´s increasing traffic density, thereof resulting health concerns and the country´s long term strategy to establish itself as a logistics hub in the region between Europe, Africa and Asia, a variety of significant business opportunities for foreign companies arise. Especially in the field of sustainable mobility, public transport solutions and logistics, international key players as well as SMEs can make a difference by providing expertise, products and services needed to fuel Sri Lanka´s green transformation. Against this background, German companies, which stand for high quality and reliability in Sri Lanka, are in a favorable position to realize long term projects on-site.
In view of Sri Lankas´s current socio-economic developments, focusing on sustainable mobility is therefore of strategic interest to all actors involved. While economic and political actors in Sri Lanka are already in the process of implementing large-scale infrastructure projects with untapped opportunities for German companies, attracting foreign direct investment continues to remain crucial.
A particular potential in doing business in Sri Lanka is seen in the following fields:
1. Maritime and Port Logistics
Colombo has the largest port in South Asia and ranks no. 13 in the world in terms of connectivity and no. 22 in terms of port size. Besides, Colombo Port has the world's largest growth rate (15.6%) in container capacity. The current container capacity is 7 Mio. TEU’s. Sri Lanka strives to stock this container capacity up to 10 Mio. TEU’s by 2020.
Also, Hambantota Port is gaining importance. Ship routes through Hambantota are used by 36,000 ships, including 4,500 oil tankers. In view of the abovementioned, smart information technologies, systems and software solutions focusing on port, transportation and logistics are needed. Additional fields to be active in include: navigation in real time, shore power from renewable energies, marine e-mobility, ship repairing services and smart warehousing.
2. Private and Public Transport Solutions
Moreover, there is great potential in Sri Lanka for intelligent transport management systems, holistic mobility and infrastructure concepts as well as intermodal transport. Solutions are needed on the road, such as for buses, rickshaws and cars, but also for the rail (e.g. electric railway and electric light rail systems, signaling technology or braking systems). German companies can in particular explore business cooperation when it comes to traffic and public transport solutions, non-internal combustion vehicles charging stations for electric vehicles and electric vehicle batteries.
3. Air Cargo Logistics
Sri Lanka is currently in the process of working on a major infrastructure development project at the Bandaranaike International Airport. The goal is to increase the passenger handling capacity by additional 9 million passengers per annum in a sustainable way. Part of this project is also the construction of a multi-storey terminal building with parking garage and new taxiways, which is expected to be completed in 2020. However, there are still plans to expand Terminal 1 and modernize the airport to handle the ever-increasing flow of tourists. Expertise and smart solutions are therefore required in multiple fields with good business opportunities for German companies.
Target Group
Port Operators, Warehouse Operators, E-Mobility Providers, IT Providers for Intelligent Transport and Logistic Systems, Providers for Innovative and Intelligent Retrofit Solutions for Diesel Buses etc.
Relevant Documents