CICT attracts new shipping line to Port of Colombo

To mark the maiden call of IAL to the Port of Colombo, CICT CEO Ray Ren (fourth from right) exchanges a plaque with Chief Officer Velikov Anton Nikolaev in the presence of the ship’s Captain and crew and representatives of the local agent for IAL.

Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd. (CICT) the first and only deep water terminal in the Port of Colombo, has made another major breakthrough by attracting a new shipping line Interasia Lines Ltd. (IAL) to call at the Port of Colombo on a weekly schedule. 

This new shipping line is based in Taiwan and specialises in inter-Asia services.The Linewas convinced to extend its services to cover the lucrative South Asia market through the joint marketing network of CICT and CMHI, the holding company of CICT. 

IAL will now service the South Asia market by transshipping cargo via the Port of Colombo. This new service is bound to boost new transshipment volumes connecting Bangladesh and Myanmar cargo through the Port of Colombo.

With the introduction of this new service, CICT continues to play the anchor role of attracting new volumes through the Port of Colombo in line with CICT’s concept and focus of marketing the Port internationally as one unit for the benefit of all terminals, thereby enhancing the position of the Port of Colombo as a major common-user transshipment hub. 

The first vessel of this service called at the Port of Colombo on the 30th March and a plaque exchange ceremony was held on board to commemorate the maiden call at the CICT terminal.

CICT closed 2015 with an impressive 1.561 million TEUs, with the ULCC (Ultra Large Container Carrier) and VLCC (Very Large Container Carrier) segments making a 67% contribution to that volume.As a member of CMHI, the world’s second largest global terminal operator by throughput, CICT has access to a wide network of 72 terminals operated and invested by CMHI across the globe, none of which are in any form of competition with the Port of Colombo. This is a unique advantage to boost the status and recognition of the port as a common-user transshipment hub.