The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation has launched a new initiative to introduce an Air Cargo Community System (ACCS) to improve the efficiency, speed and transparency of Sri Lanka’s air cargo operations.
An earlier attempt to introduce the system in 2023 failed to progress due to insufficient coordination and agreement among the relevant stakeholders. The new government has now revived the initiative by bringing the key parties together to work on its implementation.
A multi-stakeholder committee has been established with representatives from Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka), Sri Lanka Customs, the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, SriLankan Airlines, the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Import and Export Control Department, the National Plant Quarantine Service, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka.
The committee is currently conducting a feasibility study to assess the technical, operational and business aspects of introducing the Air Cargo Community System.
A meeting to review the progress of the initiative was held on August 21 under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodituwakku. Ministry Secretary W.W.S. Mangala and representatives of the relevant institutions also participated.
The proposed digital system is expected to reduce delays and paperwork in the air cargo clearance process while enabling faster information sharing between government agencies, airlines and other industry stakeholders.
The ministry said the initiative aims to identify existing bottlenecks in the air cargo process and introduce practical digital solutions through greater coordination among all parties.
