Sri Lanka Can Easily Emerge As The New Great Maritime Nation
- Says Noboru Ueda at Port, Trade and Logistics Conference in Colombo
By Roy Silva
Noboru Ueda, Chairman and President of ClassNK
The Indian subcontinent will drive the world economy in the future, and at the heart of this new maritime region, and at the heart of world trade is Sri Lanka. I believe that Sri Lanka could easily emerge as the new great maritime nation – joining the ranks with Singapore and the UAE as a leader in the maritime world, said Noboru Ueda Chairman and President of ClassNK in Colombo on Tuesday, July 10.
He was making these observations at the Port, Trade and Logistics Conference and Exhibition in Colombo and describing the world’s heavily travelled routes, Noboru said that Sri Lanka was right along the most heavily travelled routes in the world.
“This strategic location is one of the reasons that Sri Lanka has such a bright future in the maritime industry. In this strategic location, Sri Lanka is in very good company. On this same route, we can see the countries and regions, i.e. Singapore on Right and Dubai, UAE on the left”, said the ClassNK chief.
He noted that location alone was not enough to ensure success in the maritime industry but Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka maritime industry were already showing signs that it would continue to be a success in the future.
“Like Singapore and Dubai before it, Sri Lanka is making the right investments for the future and looking to partners overseas to achieve success,” Observed the maritime veteran.
Commenting on the contribution of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), the ClassNK head said that the state entity had made major commitments to constantly upgrade and expand the capabilities of Sri Lankan ports combining support from the Asian Development Bank with top engineering firms from Korea, China and the Far East.
Work was ongoing not only to expand existing ports, but also to create new ports and infrastructure throughout the country, he said.
“Here too we see Sri Lanka following in the footsteps of the great maritime nations that have come before it,” said Noboru Ueda.
Noting that although success in the maritime industry was not a simple task and although it might still take many years, Noboru said that Sri Lanka had set itself on a path to great success in the future.
“If Sri Lanka can succeed as a new maritime nation, which I believe it can, then with Dubai and Singapore, we will have three new maritime stars in the region.
In doing so, Sri Lanka will help give shape to a new Indian Ocean centred maritime industry, finally inking the traditional ship owning heart of Europe and the shipping and shipbuilding hubs of East Asia, with the growing economies of the Indian Subcontinent,” said the ClassNK chief and added that, “And that will be a truly great day for the world maritime industry.”
Commenting on what he described as the New Map, Noboru said that with the growth of Singapore and the Middle East as maritime centres, a new map had to be drawn for the maritime industry.
“As you can see the industry is shifting from North to South, and we can again draw a new East-West line linking Dubai and the Middle East with Singapore.
In this new southern maritime zone, we can see all of the emerging maritime nations. In the East, we have not only Singapore but all of the growing nations of South East Asia,” said the ClassNK chairman.
According to the ClassNK chairman at the centre of this new map there is the Indian Ocean Subcontinent, which is quickly becoming one of the most important economic areas in the entire world.
With growing populations, a rapidly surging economy, a hunger for natural resources and growing demand for new ports and other infrastructure, there was little doubt that it is the Indian subcontinent that would drive the world economy in the future, he said and declared that, “at the heart of this new maritime region, and at the heart of world trade is Sri Lanka.
I believe that Sri Lanka could easily emerge as the new great maritime nation – joining the ranks with Singapore and the UAE as a leader in the maritime world.”
Noboru Ueda, Chairman and President of ClassNK, world’s largest classification society, who has spent more than 40 years in the maritime industry, said that since joining ClassNK in 1969, he had witnessed first-hand many incredible changes that the industry had undergone not only in terms of new ship design and technology, but also in terms of geography.
The event was organized by Seatrade, a leading publisher and event organizer in the maritime and cruise markets, and hosted by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).
ravishka@yahoo.co.uk
Sri Lanka Can Easily Emerge As The New Great Maritime Nation? Why sure! But most certainly not with the Raja-goons at the head of state. And before Sri Lanka makes money under any other government, we’d have to wait just another 3 generations till the debts are payed off. So, Mr. Noboru Ueda, chairman and President of ClassNK, whom are you trying to cover in BS?
It can emerge as the next corrupt, murderous, genocidal and rape colony too.
CHEENA PATAS PATAS PATAS PUKAY MIRIS MIRIS MIRIS
Definitely Sir Lanka will be the best marine nation in Asia.
Wow!!!!!! a change of stance from the hallucinating sunday ‘loser’?
It seems some of local Sri Lankans need a greater attitude change towards their own country and national potential. It is a fact that the public were poised to see crocs even in a tea cup. The easy way of living with misery within themselves is always blaming on the ruling government for the shortcoming than trying to fix the consequences. Sri Lanka suffered with terrible 30 years of terrorism created by LTTE mainly. With this leadership an enduring peace and a greater optimistic growth opportunity was established which none of earlier leaders of post independent Sri Lanka couldn’t achieve. As the conflict consequences are off from the day to day life, the hopes skyrocketed eventually. But with lack of required resources, underdeveloped infrastructure, non-trained labor , lack of professional involvement, and untrained attitudes has begun to play negatively in the new game.
Usually for any nation who has undergone such an era, it takes a considerable period to reshape for the new game. This is what we see and read as comments these days. Blaming the leadership and the government brings some sort of ease and comfort for the unachieved sudden development after a long conflicted era. Corruption and mismanagement is inevitable with the newly found wealth and growing economy. As to match the needs of the rapid development with less savings made over tha past years any government has to realy on large loans for infrastructure development. We are going through a period of infrastructure investments, which does not directly bring food to the dinner table of an average family. But it will make new ships roaming in to newly built ports, vehicle travels moved in to 100 km/h expressways than ribboned streets from town to town. new airlines making landing calls on newly laid runways of new international airports, tourism get increased, and the country is getting back on economic, travel and political maps around the globe. It will take another 10 years to see people living with high income and eating bacon and chees for the dinner, But it will be in a house on a strongly built foundation. Till that day most of the people who could not see beyond 5 years from now, deluded with political agendas will curse the leader and the government.
It’s true the corruption is high and system is broken. We have to find a way to establish new laws, restore the system and make it work. As an example the field of town planning and building construction, as nowadays you see visually disturbing street scapes, pseudo traditional architecture designed by non-architects, cities planned by politicians but not planners etc. As in the medical field no one else allowed to treat and give medicine to a patient than a registered physician, strictly governed by the health ministry and the health system, so we have a better life expectancy and indicators of public health. If someday the government implements such a clear system and strict codes to building designs & constructions, after few years we may see nicely planned neighborhoods and upscaled living quality in well planned, socio-economically catered, healthy energy saving bulidings. There are number of basics to be fixed and now its the time for leading professionals like Physicians, Engineers, lawyers, Architects, Town Planners etc. to make proposals for tomorrow and it’s the job of the governments to establish a system to take advantage and involvement of them in their field for the benefit of public, bringing down the cost for it while increasing the accessibility and availability.