The Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) has announced a special concession for vehicle importers, granting an additional five free days for clearing imported vehicles in December 2025.
Vehicles cleared between December 5 and 15 will now enjoy a total of 15 free days—comprising the standard 10 calendar days under the published tariff plus the extra five days under this concession. HIPG emphasized that no extensions will be granted beyond this period.
The concession comes after a meeting between the Vehicle Importers Association of Sri Lanka (VIASL) and HIPG officials on December 1 at The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo. VIASL raised several concerns affecting importers, including delays in vehicle shifting, mud and dust accumulation, cement dust contamination, misplacement of vehicle items, and the need for an extended demurrage-free period.
HIPG acknowledged that delays were due to issues with the outsourced service provider and said a new tender would be issued within December to address the problem. The port also plans to add 12 hectares of newly paved yard space by January 2026 to improve storage conditions.
On cement dust contamination, HIPG noted that previous requests to the neighboring factory had seen little action and agreed to escalate the matter to relevant government authorities. Regarding missing vehicle items, the port said evidence pointed to organized theft at the exit point, and VIASL has proposed introducing a digital tally sheet system to improve monitoring.
To support importers during the current clearance cycle, HIPG confirmed the demurrage-free period will be extended to 15 days for December. Discussions will continue on additional concessions for vehicles delayed due to Customs issues, including cross-border units and re-export cases.
Both HIPG and VIASL concluded the meeting on a positive note, committing to ongoing cooperation to improve operations for vehicle importers.
