Colombo port container volumes up by 9.1%

The Colombo Port container volumes indicates an increase in the month of April 2019 by 9.1% compared to the same period last year. Together with the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) and the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT), the Port of Colombo’s cumulative Volume has increased by 5.9%.

In April 2018 the Colombo Port had handled a total of Transshipments volume of 441,437 TEUs that has increased up to 482,910 for the same period this year. Accordingly, with the increase marked at SLPA and other terminals compared from January to April 2018, the Port of Colombo Transshipment Volumes have marked an increase of 8.6 %. The container throughput at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) controlled terminals has also been increased significantly by 10.5% .

The Port of Colombo is ranked the world’s No.01 container growth port among the top 30 container ports for the year of 2018 in container handling. It has also recorded a 13.5% growth for the year 2018 over the same period of the previous year reaching to 22nd from the position of 23rd amongst global container ports, according to Alphaliner Monthly. It is also a significant achievement as it is the first time in history the Port of Colombo has topped a global maritime ranking. With this growth, Port of Colombo has leapt ahead many other Asian;Middle Eastern and European Ports. The latest release of Drewry Port Connectivity Index also ranked the Port of Colombo as the 11th best Connectivity Port in the world for 2018.

While commending the consistent growth in numbers, Minister of Ports and Shipping Sagala Ratnayaka said the SLPA has also focused on fast-tracking strategic decisions pertaining to the expansion of the Colombo Port’s capacity. “Only such decisions,” the Minister said, “would ensure that our growth is sustainable. The key focus of the SLPA at this point in time is to expedite processes relating to the expansion of the Colombo Port.”

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) won the Ports Authority of the Year 2019 Award by the Global Ports Forum (GPF) for the second consecutive year at the GPF awards ceremony 2019.

The relationship between the Management and representative bodies of workers, collaborative support by all parties and the wide engagement of all stakeholders have effectively contributed to the SLPA’s success.