Parliament takes up amendment to split container operator regulation from freight forwarders

Container operators will soon be governed by an independent legal framework as the government moves to amend the Licensing of Shipping Agents Act of 1972 to exclude them from its scope. 

Under the proposed transitional provisions, existing licenses held by container operators will remain valid but will be legally transferred to the authority of the upcoming Licensing of Container Depot Operators Act of 2026.

The Licensing of Shipping Agents, Freight Forwarders, Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers and Container Operators (Amendment) Bill was presented to Parliament by the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation on January 20, 2026. Once passed, the amendment will formally rename the principal enactment as the Licensing of Shipping Agents, Freight Forwarders and Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers Act, effectively decoupling the sectors.

The decision to separate these regulatory duties follows a strategic move to modernize the maritime environment, backed by a Cabinet approval granted in late 2024. Previously, container operators were regulated under the 1972 Act, which functioned as the unified principal enactment for decades. By creating a specialised legal structure, the government aims to strengthen regulatory oversight and provide for matters specifically incidental to container operations.

This regulatory shift is part of a broader effort to streamline maritime services and ensure that each sector is governed by laws tailored to its specific operational requirements. The move comes at a time when Sri Lanka’s logistics market is projected to grow to US$ 8.11 billion by the end of 2026, driven by a surge in transshipment and the development of integrated logistics parks.

Administratively, the amendment ensures that all references to the previous Act in documentation are updated to reflect the new law’s title. Furthermore, the term “container operators” is being removed from the original 1972 Act to eliminate legal overlap and maintain consistency between the two pieces of legislation.

By isolating container operations into a separate legal framework, the government aims to create a more liberalised and business-friendly environment that can better support the country’s ambition to become a premier multimodal logistics hub in the Indian Ocean.

The Bill is currently in its second reading in Parliament as of early February 2026. 

(NF)