COLOMBO, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will begin releasing containers from the Port of Colombo to three external container inspection yards through an online system from April 3, a senior Customs officer said on Tuesday.
Director General of Customs Seevali Arukgoda said the new system would improve transparency and accountability in the container release process.
He said imported containers selected for inspection are handled at three container yards located outside the port. Until now, the release process from the Colombo Port to these yards has been carried out manually, requiring clearing agents to visit the gate, show their passes, and register details in person.
Arukgoda said the manual process had drawn criticism over inefficiency and alleged irregularities. In response, Sri Lanka Customs decided to digitalize the system.
He said the department's Information and Communication Technology Division developed a dedicated application to move the process online, aiming to prevent fraud and corruption and ensure a more transparent release procedure.
Digitization is a key policy pillar of the Sri Lankan government to increase transparency and efficiency of the public sector. ■