CASA congratulates collaboration by terminal operators

Tripartite agreement signing by Sri Lanka Port Authority Jaye Container Terminal, CICT Container Terminal and SAGT Container Terminal last week (from left): South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) Operations General Manager Upul Jinadasa, Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) Director (Port Operations) Jayantha Perera and Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) Commercial and Marketing General Manager Catriona Jayasundere. Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe and Sri Lanka Port Authority Chairman Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake look on – Pic by Ruwan Walpola

The Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA), the voice of the shipping industry, has welcomed the initiative taken by the Ports and Shipping Ministry and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to ensure that terminals work in collaboration with each other to improve overall efficiency of the Colombo Port. The terminal operators of Colombo Port signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 14 March to unload ships of their competitor terminals if berths are available. This will reduce the waiting time for clients which will improve ease of doing business in Sri Lanka and increase competitiveness over other regional ports.

The MOU was signed between the South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT), Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and Colombo International Container Terminal(CICT) in the presence of Ports and Shipping Minister MahindaSamarasinghe,SLPAChairman Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake and industry representatives from CASA.

Colombo Port has been ranked among the world’s best 25 ports in accordance with the Alphaliner rankings in 2017, and is therefore considered as an efficient port in the region. However it faces competition from many regional ports. CASA is of the view that the initiative of the three terminals to collaborate will help Colombo Port to stay competitive in the region and to reach the maritime hub status.

In a confident response to the changing dynamics of the global shipping industry, which are reflected by the emergence of new strategic alliances between shipping lines, CASA believes that the combined Terminals collaboration will allow for the most effective use of facilities and manpower resources. Over the past few years, CASA has worked with the Terminal operators to improve overall efficiency of the Colombo Port and will continue to do so. It is now important to work out on a unified payment structure across terminals to ensure operational efficiency. CASA is optimistic about the future of the industry with all government agencies working together for a common goal of achieving the maritime hub status.