Port officials brief minister on serious delays in container clearances

Minister Vijitha Herath made a visit to the Colombo Port on Thursday (7) to look into the existing issues including a delay in container clearances.

There, the officials shared their concerns over the persistent delays in container clearances which have been ongoing for about two years.

They pointed out that, about two to three years ago despite following all the methods, around 1,800 to 2,000 containers could be dispatched from the port daily.

However, they noted that recently, there have been several irregularities in the container clearance process and even when a token number is assigned for container clearance, the containers do not exit the port in the proper order.

Additionally, the officials also revealed that the causes for the delays are that some of the workers are performing their duties while under the influence of alcohol, while others have been neglecting their duties and attending funerals.

Therefore, the officials requested the minister to provide them with the opportunity to carry out container clearances efficiently, without corruption or interference.