Maiden call of ONE EC5 service at SAGT

Ocean Network Express (ONE), the mega carrier born out of the merger between three Japanese giants of the shipping industry NYK, MOL&K Line, launched the EC5 service in Colombo with a maiden call at South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), Port of Colombo on 23 April. 

To mark this occasion, a plaque exchange ceremony was held aboard MOL Paramount on 23 April. Upul Jinadasa - General Manager Operations and Dhashma Karunaratne - Commercial and Marketing Manager represented South Asia Gateway Terminals while Vishvanath Daluwatte - Managing Director; Ayesh Perera - General Manager; Lohitha Hettiarachchi - General Manager, Product and Network represented ONE Lanka.

While presenting the plaque to Capt. Zoilo Sualog Lozanes, Master of the MOL Paramount, Jinadasa commented: “SAGT’s operational capabilities have been frequently recognised within the global arena and ONE’s choice to deploy the EC5 service is an endorsement of our performance capabilities” 

SAGT CEO Romesh David, commenting on this historic occasion, said: “TEAM SAGT is delighted to provide a service of excellence to ONE’s inaugural call at SAGT and looks forward to building a partnership with ONE to serve the global maritime community with a best-in-class product, integrating the strengths of SAGT and ONE”.  

ONE Lanka Managing Director Vishvanath Daluwatte confidently stated: “ONE Lanka looks forward to the partnership with SAGT and the Port of Colombo to exceed customer expectations in Sri Lanka and in regional markets.”

The three lines - NYK, MOL and K Line - first announced the merger in November 2016 and commenced single joint operations in April 2018, making them the sixth largest carrier by size with nearly 7% market share. 

With a fleet of 230 containerships, the company seeks to meet customers’ needs by providing high-quality, competitive container shipping services with the consolidation and enhancement of the three companies’ global network and service structures. 

The integration lets ONE to incorporate best practices from the three companies and to take advantage of their combined 1,440,000 TEU fleet size. Supported by a worldwide high level, globally-connected organisation, it offers 85 service loops and a comprehensive network linking more than 200 of the world’s major ports.

ONE is poised to gain the advantage of the strategic location of the Port of Colombo and is expected to deploy another service at SAGT in addition to EC5. 

SAGT, the first private container terminal in Sri Lanka, with approximately 60% of Sri Lankan shareholding, commenced operations in 1999, launching the Port of Colombo as global trade’s preeminent gateway hub to South Asia. Today the terminal is one of three operators in the Port of Colombo and continues to offer the international container shipping community a competitive best-in-class service. 

SAGT is a Board of Investment flagship company consisting of four shareholders – John Keells Holdings, Maersk/APM Terminals, SLPA and Peony investments (subsidiary of Evergreen Marine Corporation).