SLPA in collaboration with JCT, SAGT and CICT holds Port of Colombo Awards Night 2024

Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Minister  Nimal Siripala de Silva, Ministry Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra, SLPA Chairman Keith D.Bernard, SLPA Managing Director Prabath J. Malavige, SAGT CEO   Romesh David, CICT CEO Jan Zheng, CWIT CEO Harikrishnan Sundaram at the event

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), in collaboration with Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) and Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT), hosted the Port of Colombo Awards Night 2024 at  the Lotus Ballroom, Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo on 15 March. Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, participated as the Chief Guest, whilst Ministry Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra was the Guest of Honour. 

Amongst 10 nominees for the Main Lines, the Mediterranean Shipping Company was awarded the most outstanding Main Line Operator to the Port of Colombo. MAERSK Line was awarded the second, CMA CGM the third, HAPAG-LLOYD the fourth and OCEAN NETWORK EXPRESS  the fifth. Main Line Operator Award at the POC Awards 2024 recognizes mainline operators for all containers discharged/loaded at all terminals within the Port of Colombo in the calendar year to the account of each mainline box operator, regardless of the vessel on which it was carried.

X-PRESS FEEDERS emerged as the top-performing feeder operator among the 10 servicing the Port of Colombo. Following closely, GLOBAL FEEDER SHIPPING, BENGAL TIGER LINE, HR LINES and UNIFEEDER Line secured the second to fifth positions, respectively. 

Feeder Operator Award at the Port of Colombo Awards 2024 recognises common carrier feeder operators for all boxes discharged/loaded from/to all vessels operated by each common carrier feeder operator at all terminals, regardless of who the box operator is. All such containers are credited to the relevant common carrier feeder operator volumes within the POC in the calendar year.

Minister de Silva said that recognising and evaluating the main and feeder shipping networks associated with the Port of Colombo, and subsequently rewarding them was greatly valued. “The objective of this initiative is to inspire the companies by acknowledging their efforts, emphasising intrinsic value over monetary rewards. Such recognition has the potential to foster competition among the terminals within the Port of Colombo, thereby encouraging the delivery of superior service to the shipping networks through enhanced efficiency and productivity,” he said. 

SLPA Chairman Keith D. Bernard stated that Colombo Port’s initiative to conduct an award evaluation involving the shipping networks connected with the port would foster trust and collaboration among all stakeholders involved.

Over 200 guests, including international and local maritime stakeholders of the Port of Colombo and several overseas dignitaries, graced the event.

The Port of Colombo presently holds the 23rd position in the Alphaliner top 30 Container ports globally by throughput and ranks first in South Asia. Additionally, it holds the 10th position in the Drewry connectivity index, reflecting its direct service networks to major markets and the frequency of service connections. The Port of Colombo has shown consistent improvement in these global rankings in recent years.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, the Port of Colombo achieved its highest-ever throughput of 7.2 million TEUs in 2021. It remained operational without disruption, supporting global shipping services and meeting consumer demands during the period and recognising its critical role, the Government declared the port an essential service with equal priority for fuel and energy resources to ensure uninterrupted operations during the period.

The Port of Colombo has demonstrated resilience and adaptability amidst disruptive operating environments, emphasising its commitment to excellence in port operations through multi-organisational collaboration.

At present, with the three-terminal operators offering competitive options, the Port of Colombo serves as a world-class hub facility, positioned as the primary gateway to the Indian Ocean. 

Strategic planning by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) included the Colombo Port Expansion Project (CPEP), which aimed to add three additional deep-draft ship terminals with a 3.4 million TEU capacity each. The CICT became the first to operate in the new port. The other two   terminals, the East Container Terminal (ECT) and Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), are expected to become operational within the next 12 months. 

Further expansion plans include the West Terminal phase-2 and other capacity development projects, aligning with projected trade growth in the region.

Commitment to a sustainable carbon-neutral agenda and the implementation of operational efficiencies through digitalisation, automation and AI technologies underscore the Port of Colombo’s strategic value and relevance to its customers beyond its geographic location. Operational engagement of the Port of Colombo with other international container ports   further strengthens its position as complementary to the international trade growth aspirations of the South Asian region.

SLPA Managing Director Prabath J. Malavige, SAGT CEO   Romesh David, CICT CEO Jan Zheng, CWIT CEO Harikrishnan Sundaram and a large number of shipping agents also attended the Awards 2024.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), in collaboration with Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) and Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT), hosted the Port of Colombo Awards Night 2024 at  the Lotus Ballroom, Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo on 15 March. Here the Award winners with SLPA Chairman Keith D. Bernard 

Ports, Shipping, and Aviation  Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva addressing the gathering