Sri Lanka ahead in the race of port constructions: SLPA MD

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Managing Director Capt. Nihal Keppetipola last week declared that Sri Lanka was ahead in the race of port constructions.

Making a presentation titled “The Colombo Port Expansion Project (CPEP)” at the opening day of the Southern Asia Ports, Logistics and Shipping 2012 Exhibition and Conference in Colombo Capt. Keppetipola said:

“Analyzing the distribution and volume movement trends in the regions of Asia/Med and Fareast/North Europe, current global logistics networks, and their alliances such as G6, CKYH, Maersk, MSC/CMA-CGM, we can rest assured that Sri Lanka is definitely ahead of the race in Port Construction.”

“There will be more and more consolidation within the industry both in capacity and relationship levels. Ships have got bigger and bigger. Ports of Sri Lanka are equal, in terms of equipment, to the task of handling mega vessels coming out of the order book,” he added.

Capt. Keppetipola said 400 meters quay length of East Container Terminal (ECT) of CPEP will be ready by the third quarter of 2013 and 600 meters quay length of Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) will be ready by the 3rd quarter of 2014. By the time, the West Container Terminal (WCT) becomes up and running in 2017, Port of Colombo will be geared to handle 13 million TEUs.

In response to a question raised by a member of the audience concerning the plans, the SLPA has contemplated in regard to handling the demand of the Indian Sub Continent cargo which is forecast at 40 million TEUs by the year 2020, Capt. Keppetipola stated SLPA will open up phase II of the Port of Hambantota for Container Operations by that time.

Responding to another question raised by the audience Capt. Keppetipola said “Although a port possesses latest equipment, sophisticated IT systems or huge rail-road connectivity, it cannot turn a vessel around in quicker time, unless there is a dedicated human resource to man the equipment. In certain ports, plans are afoot to operate them sans human beings by deploying apparatus such as Automated/Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV). But in this part of the world our operations very much depend on efficient and dedicated labor. In SLPA there are 26 recognized Trade unions. At no time has any of them brought country’s politics into the port and the state run JCT has been running smoothly due to the confidence the employees have on the Management and the sound administrative proceeding adapted by the SLPA,” he added.

It was Sri Lanka’s first hosting of the Southern Asia Ports, Logistics and Shipping 2012 Exhibition and Conference. It is the largest annual Container Ports, Shipping and Transport Logistics Exhibition and Conference event in Southern Asia and was co-hosted by the SLPA.

The 7th Southern Asia Ports, Logistics and Shipping 2012 comprised both a world-class exhibition and conference. It featured 35 world-class speakers in global logistics and transport and drew around 500 senior executives from the world’s leading ports, shipping lines, cargo owners, shippers, freight forwarders, logistics companies, terminal operators, railway operators and port-rail service equipment suppliers from over 30 countries. The event also included a two-day trade exhibition of nearly 60 international participants providing a valuable opportunity for companies to market their products and services to participants at this prestigious annual event.