The State-owned Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) witnessed the highest growth of 23.3% in transhipment container throughput for the first nine months (from January to September) in 2018, as against the corresponding period in 2017. During the first nine months of 2018, the transhipment volume handled by Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) reached 1,445,424 TEUs, compared to 1,172,542 TEUs handled for the same period in 2017.
Meanwhile, the Port of Colombo has witnessed the highest growth of 19.4% in transhipment container throughput for the first nine months in 2018, as against the corresponding period in 2017. During the first nine months of 2018, the Port of Colombo handled 4,206,630 TEUs of transhipment containers, as against 3,522,521 TEUs handled in the corresponding period in 2017.
The Port of Colombo expects to reach the 7 million TEU target by the end this year. In a statement, Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe added that the port would take new initiatives forward to promote the Port of Colombo internationally, together with all stakeholders and to attract more new shipping lines that work in alliances.
Under the leadership of Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, and advice by SLPA Chairman Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake, the positive increase at SLPA-controlled terminals, Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT), and South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT), collectively resulted in this increase.
The recognition of credibility towards the management has encouraged the employees of SLPA to dedicatedly contribute towards efficient service, along with collaborative support by all parties and stakeholders engaged in the port operations to keep SLPA’s productivity at a steadily and sustainably increasing rate. Creating history, the Port of Colombo for the first time has recorded 6.2 million container operations in year 2017.
Following Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe assuming office as the Minister of Ports and Shipping, an exclusive 3 year plan was introduced to develop the entire port sector to establish Sri Lanka as the most preferred maritime gateway to South Asia.
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% growth for the 1st half of 2018 over the same period last year, according to Alphaliner Monthly 2018. It is also a very significant achievement, as it is the first time in history the Port of Colombo has reached the top of a global maritime ranking. With this growth, Port of Colombo has leaped ahead of many other Asian ports, major European ports, and Dubai as well.
