Logistics and Transport go hand in hand. Without transport, logistics activities are rarely possible and vice versa. Since logistics plays an indispensable role in transportation planning, operation and management smart transport network should be founded on a strong logistics platform. Marco Polo journeyed to China on the Silk Road and kept a detailed written record, paving the way for future traders and merchants traveling between Europe and China almost 750 years ago. It is believed that Transport and logistics industry first started to take shape since then. The term logistics was borrowed from the military as a proven discipline of planning and carrying out the movement, supply, and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, transport sector needs to seek the strategic input of logistics concepts and theories for sustainability and continuous improvements in the transport operations. Logistics is the design, operation and control of efficient transport and storage of goods, services, and between the starting point and the consuming location to meet the customer’s needs. Therefore, Logistics and Transport are two sides of the same coin, better transport services cannot be expected without improving Logistics competence of a county and vice versa.
In fact, logistics has received global attention since the early 1980s, also note that logistics costs as a per cent of equivalent nominal GDP declined from 16 per cent in 1981 to 10 per cent in the 1990s. Since 1982, improvements in inventory efficiency have been dramatic, as countries such as the United States business logistics system has replaced inventory with more versatile and responsive transportation services. Therefore, recognising the value and its indispensability by the government of Sri Lanka is a timely decision. The lack of awareness about Logistics has been a serious shortcoming. When the public is unaware of evolving concepts it directly makes a negative impact on capacity building efforts. when the society in unaware of evolving subjects like Logistics, parents and teachers cannot guide the younger generation in the right direction.
Logistics now accounts for about 11% of GDP in the Sri Lankan economy and 20% of the total service sector. Therefore, the sector of logistics has become increasingly important in the country’s economy. However, it is observed that Logistics performance in Sr Lanka is not in good shape as per the Logistics Performance Indicator (LPI) published by the World Bank (the only indicator to measure logistics performance of a country). It shows huge variations since 2010 According to aggregated international LPI results across four editions namely, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 Sri Lanka only hols the 92nd rank out of 160 countries. This needs a lot of improvements, thus social awareness and capacity building is the key.
While a comprehensive strategic plan needs to be drafted in which the Ministry of Transport can take the leadership to improve both Logistics and International Transport of Sri Lanka declaration of a National Logistics Day in Sri Lanka would be a timely decision in the right direction considering the country’s prime objective of improving Logistics and Transport sector.
The Ministry of Transport is planning to launch the first Logistics Sinhala textbook titled ‘Logistics Sinhalen’ authored by Prof. Lalith Edirisinghe and Published by CINEC Campus. The book will cater to a wide spectrum of audience covering school children, University graduates and industry professionals. Logistics is now incorporated in the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) syllabus and the book will solve a problem faced by the schoolteachers too.
The book consists of 434 pages and introduces most suitable Sinhala term for Logistics as approved by the Department of Official Languages. It is categorized as a science book because it reveals two new transport theories. The book has been endorsed by many academia, professionals, and organizations in Sri Lanka and overseas, including Ministry of Education and National Library of Sri Lanka. The book has been awarded the formal license by the Ministry of Education to be used as a library book in schools.
The publisher, CINEC Campus wishes to give this book to schools’ libraries free of charge.
It is imperative that a social awareness about this publication is required by the entire cross section of the society to derive its maximum benefit of the book. As the author of the book, I have no commercial interest or financial benefits of the publication as I have given the copyrights to the publisher who has invested on this national encounter. The Ministry of Transport has selected this book as the key feature of the National Logistics Day 2021 celebration considering these factors that has a huge national value.
NEWS
The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday decided to declare 16 August as National Logistics Day.
The Government said the efficient and effective management of all the supplies in a country was called logistics and if the relevant process were not properly managed, problems such as rising commodity prices and consequent difficulty in controlling the cost of living would arise.
To create greater awareness on the importance of efficient and secure logistics, the Transport Minister has proposed to Cabinet to declare a National Logistics Day annually. To signify the maiden initiative, a commemorative stamp will be released this year.