Hambantota becomes first Sri Lankan port complying with ISO

The Chinese-built Hambantota Port has become Sri Lanka's first port conforming to internationally-recognized integrated management system standards.

Sri Lanka's Hambantota International Port (HIP) said Sunday it has become the South Asian country's first port conforming to internationally-recognized integrated management system standards.

The port located in southern Sri Lanka said in a statement that it has received the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditation on quality, environmental protection, and occupational health and safety standards after a process starting in January and an external audit conducted by Bureau Veritas Lanka in July.

Aerial photo taken on May 6, 2021 shows a view of Sri Lanka's Hambantota International Port. (Photo by Liu Hongru/Xinhua)

Ravi Jayawickrame, CEO of Hambantota International Port Services Company, said the accreditation will help "boost marketing and sales efforts and enhance and improve employee performance."

It "reinforces our commitment to protect the environment and maintain sustainability and to protect the workplace, which will prevent work related injury and ill-health and provides further incentive to continually improve our working conditions," Jayawickrame added.

Aerial photo taken on May 6, 2021 shows a view of Sri Lanka's Hambantota International Port. (Photo by Liu Hongru/Xinhua)