Maersk Welcomes New Facility in Sri Lanka

Maersk has officially welcomed its brand new 100,000 square-foot warehouse in Wattala, Sri Lanka.¹ Vikash Agarwal, managing director, Maersk South Asia; Biju Ravi, head of Maersk Sri Lanka; and Dr Parakrama Dissanayake, deputy chairman & managing director, Aitken Spence PLC, among others, were present for the occasion. According to company officials, the new plant affirms Maersk's belief in being a provider of integrated supply chain solutions.

Being that Wattala is only seven miles from the seaport, the plant is conveniently located to allow for trade routes that link Africa, Asia, and Europe. The country’s trade sector has been exponentially expanding, which is one of several reasons why the location is could be a wise and strategic one.

The warehouse itself is anticipated to provide export consolidation and third-party logistics (3PL) services, with an even 50,000 square feet dedicated for each purpose. Offering end-to-end supply chain solutions to customers—consisting of storage, inventory management, and distribution for customers—is the end goal.

From an efficiency standpoint, the 3PL facility allows suppliers to store their cargo and move quickly to consolidation points without losing any time. Maersk also has an empty yard next door that allows for the quick transport of containers into the consolidation point, followed by the port. The plant also addresses sustainability, as it has rainwater harvesting, and LED lighting, along with compatibility with solar modules for environment-friendly operations.

“Our new warehouse in Sri Lanka represents a strategic milestone in our commitment to strengthen our operations in the country,” said Agarwal. “By leveraging Sri Lanka's growing prominence as a logistics hub and investing in infrastructure that our customers have shown interest in, Maersk aims to deliver unparalleled value to its clients while contributing to Sri Lanka's economic growth and development.”

In March, Maersk unveiled a new 323,000 square-foot facility for customers in the Tijuana, Mexico area, with cross-border trade in mind.² Although the site is more intended for customers in the automotive, lifestyle, retail, lifestyle, and technology fields, the latter provides overlap with Pharma Commerce’s various areas of coverage.

References

1. Maersk’s new warehouse in Sri Lanka to strengthen integrated logistics solutions for customers. Maersk. April 8, 2024. Accessed April 10, 2024. https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2024/04/08/maersk-new-warehouse-in-sri-lanka-to-strengthen-integrated-logistics-solutions

2. Maersk opens new warehouse facility in Tijuana, Mexico for cross-border capabilities. Maersk. March 21, 2024. Accessed April 10, 2024. https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2024/03/21/maersk-opens-new-warehouse-facility-in-tijuana-mexico