Minister Vijitha Herath visited Colombo Port yesterday (November 7) to investigate ongoing issues causing delays in container clearance. Port officials shared their concerns, noting that clearance delays have persisted for about two years.
They noted that two to three years ago, by following all standard procedures, the port was able to dispatch approximately 1,800 to 2,000 containers daily.
However, officials pointed out recent irregularities in the clearance process, where containers are not exiting the port in the correct order despite receiving clearance tokens. They identified some causes for the delay, mentioning that certain workers have been under the influence of alcohol while on duty, and others are leaving work to attend their personal commitments, affecting overall productivity.
The officials requested Minister Herath to help them carry out the clearance process more efficiently, without corruption or outside interference, to restore order and improve container dispatch times.
