Colombo : Colombo Port on Monday handled its seven millionth container at the Jaya Container Terminal of Sri Lanka Ports Authority with joint marketing strategies carried out by three terminals, JCT, SAGT, and CICT.
The function was graced by new Ports Minister Sagala Rathnayake with the participation of the Secretary of the Ministry and the Chairman of SLPA Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake.
Higher officials of all three main terminals, the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), the South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) and the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) of the Port of Colombo also attended the event. The 7 millionth TEU was brought by MV CPO Hamburg of the MSC Line.
“The port of Colombo having handled one million TEUs in 1995, took nine years to handle 02 million TEUs in 2004. Having handled 04 million TEUs in 2010, it took 05 years to handle 05 million TEUs in 2015,” Dr. Dissanayake said.
“In 2017, the port handled 06 mn TEUs and it took 02 years to handle that extra million. But what is unique is that this year, the port handled 07 mn TEUs and that 01 million took only 1 year. By the end of this year, the transshipment volumes have increased by 19.3%.”
He also stated that in moving forward, present need to increase the capacity, change in the competitive dynamics between the ports competing with the Colombo Port, understand and act according to changes taking place within the shipping lines and the shipping industry should be strategically addressed in time.
The Port of Colombo is ranked as world’s No.01 container growth port among the top 30 container ports for the 1st half of 2018. In container handling, Port of Colombo has recorded a 15.6 percent growth for the 1st half of 2018 over the same period last year according to Alphaliner Monthly 2018.
It is also a significant achievement as it is the first time in history the Port of Colombo reaches the top of a global maritime ranking. With this growth, Port of Colombo has leaped ahead many other Asian Ports, Major European Ports and Dubai as well.
The three terminal operators at the Port of Colombo; JCT under SLPA, SAGT, and CICT early this year, reached into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to operate collectively to promote the Port of Colombo.
Under the new collective agreement, it was expected to minimize the waiting time of all container vessels outside the port waters by allowing operations of vessels at the immediately available terminal.
Further, through this agreement, terminals are also able to promote the Port of Colombo collectively and collaboratively in the arena of international maritime business.
