MD - Sri Lanka Ports Authority

Capt. Athula Hewavitharana joined SLPA in 1997 as Asst. Harbour Master/Pilot of Port of Galle. In 2004, in addition to the post he was holding, he was appointed as Acting Resident Manager of Port of Galle.

In 2007 he was appointed as Senior Deputy Harbour Master and thereafter was promoted to the position of Harbour Master of Sri Lanka Ports Authority in February 2017. In December 2018 he was promoted to the position of the Managing Director of Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

He is also a Director in the Boards of SLPA Subsidiary Companies, SAGT (South Asia Gateway Terminal), MPMC (Magampura Port Management Company), JCT Oil Bank and SLGTCL (Sri Lanka Gas Terminal Co. Ltd.).

After his G. C. E. (Advanced Level), he joined the training vessel “Eastern Academy” owned by Gulf East Ship Management where he underwent training for 18 months. He obtained his Second Mates from Bombay, India in 1984 and the Master Class 1 from Sydney, Australia in 1991.

He joined Ceylon Shipping Corporation in 1983 and later sailed with German company “Nord” and Mercantile Shipping. Prior to joining SLPA in 1997 he worked as Mooring Master for Ceylon Petroleum Corporation for a short period.

Capt. Athula Hewavitharana is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute UK. (AFNI)