First-ever research symposium on transport and logistics concludes successfully
View(s):The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Sri Lanka (CILT SL) in partnership with Sri Lanka Society of Transport and Logistics (SLSTL) held a joint research symposium recently titled Research for Transport and Logistics Industry (R4TLI). According to a media release issued by the CILT SL, this is the first time a research symposium was organised in this magnitude for the transport and logistics industry. The objective of the R4TLI was to promote research thinking into industry problems and to make the industry and policy makers adopt these solutions to resolve the existing gaps and to explore new areas.
Chairman of the Joint Organising Committee, Prof. Amal Kumarage in a speech said that the research for transport and logistics industry came from a growing understanding of the gulf that exists between the practice and research of transport and logistics in many developing countries. “Sri Lanka needs to carry out cutting edge research and development in logistics and transport if we are to realise our ambition to become a logistic hub,” he said. The first day of the symposium was held at the Kingsbury Hotel and had three keynote speakers, Prof Tetsuo Yai, President of Eastern Asia Society of Transportation Studies (EASTS), Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya, Energy Consultant and Gayan Fernando, Head of Safety Lafarge – Holcim Sri Lanka. The second day of the symposium was held at Galadari Hotel.
Vice Chairman CILT, Chaminda Perera, said that CILT SL joined hands with SLSTL to organize the research symposium, to lay the platform to display theoretically carried out research into a competitive environment. Chief Commercial Officer SAGT Ted Muttiah said that research remains the cornerstone of strategic development of their industry beyond the conventional notion of service deliverables, value-add and business efficiency benchmarking. Inshi Nishara, an undergraduate whose paper won the award for the best paper on supply chain, said that R4TLI provided a great opportunity for all young undergraduate researchers to showcase their talents.