The project will also bring state of the art IT systems to the new center in Colombo. The Company has already employed 50 graduate and young CIMA / CA part qualified staff who are currently undergoing training.

This facility will be fully functional by the end of 2014. The ownership of the company is 90% for CMA-CGM agencies worldwide and 10% Hayleys Advantis Ltd.

CMA-CGM is world's 3rd largest container shipping Company and number 1 company in France. It is headquartered in Marseille, France and operates 650 offices and agencies in more than 150 countries. The Company also has regular services on over 170 shipping lines.

Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, Minister of Investment Promotion said “Sri Lanka is seeking to develop as a major maritime hub under the plan of the Government. At the same time the Government also aims for Sri Lanka to emerge as a center of excellence in the area of knowledge services. This project is of interest because it successfully combines both those important strategic objectives of Sri Lanka which the BOI and Ministry of Investment Promotion are actively promoting”.(KH)