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Saturday Apr 20, 2024
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The second consecutive Port of Colombo Awards Night organised by Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) in collaboration with the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) and the Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) was held recently at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo.
The Chief Guest of the event was Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka. The event was attended by a number of foreign dignitaries, representatives of the top shipping lines, feeder services and other maritime industry leaders.
Each terminal operator at the Port of Colombo provides a unique value proposition to the international maritime community. In 2018, Port of Colombo was ranked as the world’s fastest growing port and this event recognised the integral role the customers of Port of Colombo played in empowering the maritime aspirations of Sri Lanka.
In spite of the Easter Sunday attacks that disrupted the island in April, the Port of Colombo has been resilient and has been demonstrating a Year-on-Year growth. The Inaugural Port of Colombo Awards Night was held on 23 July 2018 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo and was attended by more than 30 top level foreign delegates of Shipping Lines calling the Port of Colombo. This event is poised to bring back to the nation the much-needed positivity.
Expressing views at the Awards ceremony, Minister Sagala Ratnayaka said that the much-anticipated deep water East Container Terminal (ECT) would come into operation in December next year, under the proposed terminal operating company that would be jointly formed by SLPA, Japan and India in which SLPA will have 51% of shares. “The Cabinet-appointed negotiating committee (CANC) will procure cranes and other equipment for the ECT and we plan to have three cranes in place by December 2020 to commence operations,” the Minister said. SLPA Chairman Kavan Ratnayaka speaking at the occasion said that the Port of Colombo was proud to felicitate the Main Line and Feeder Line Operators who were valued partners of the Port of Colombo for many years. “Always the Port of Colombo is there ahead of demand and with the right product and service offering. Therefore, we are determined to make the component pieces work to deliver on that promise,” he said. Amongst the 10 nominees for the Main Line Operators at the Port of Colombo Awards 2019, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) won the winner of the Port of Colombo Awards 2019. The next top four awards were won by Maersk Line being the first runner-up, CMA CGM being the second runner up, Evergreen Line and Hapag Lloyd being fourth and fifth awards winners respectively.
The selection criterion for the Main Line Awards was box operator container throughput in TEUs of the Port of Colombo that includes all three terminals namely the JCT, SAGT and CICT.
Amongst the seven nominees for the Feeder Lines at the awards ceremony X-PRESS FEEDERS won the winner of the Port of Colombo Awards 2019. The next top four awards were won by Bengal Tiger Line Ltd. being the first runner-up, Far Shipping Singapore Ltd. being the second runner-up, Transworld Feeders FZCO and Orient Express Lines (Singapore) Ltd. being fourth and fifth awards winners respectively. The selection criterion for the Feeder Line Awards was based on total container throughput handled at all three terminals, the JCT, SAGT and CICT.
At present, 22 Main Lines and eight Feeder Services are engaged with the Port of Colombo for container operations. The Port of Colombo Awards 2019 will evaluate their invaluable service to increase the volumes of the Port in its course to make Sri Lanka the Mega hub of the region.
According to internationally recognised global ranking indexes, the Port of Colombo is positioned as the world’s 22nd best container port and the 13th best connectivity port in the world at present.
