Sri Lanka Ports Authority in 2016 has earned a profit of Rs.11 billion showing an increase of 83 percent in comparison to the year 2015, said the Minister of Ports and Shipping Arjuna Ranathunghe.

Addressing the annual progress review meeting of his ministry recently, the minister said that they were able to achieve this goal while facing numerous challenges.

The income of the SLPA in 2016 was Rs.44 billion. SLPA recorded a profit of Rs.6 billion in 2015 and it has been increased by Rs.5 billion in 2016.

According to the Minister, the due management of the administration and the hard dedication of the employees resulted the achievement. As well the prevention of waste and reducing the unnecessary expenditure helped to go towards this victory. "The Galle and Trincomalee harbors, which were incurring losses when we come are also profitable now", he added.

He further said that discussions are going on to find an investor to commence the operations of the Eastern terminal.