Beats terminals in China, Indonesia and Thailand to win coveted AFLAS award in Under 4 million TEUs category
Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) has been declared the Best Container Terminal in Asia in 2023 in the Under 4 million TEUs category, winning the coveted title for the seventh consecutive year.
CICT’s impressive triumph on the global stage was announced by Asia Cargo News at the 2023 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (AFLAS) awards gala at JW Marriott Singapore South Beach Hotel. CICT CEO Mr Jack Huang accepted the award on behalf of the Company.
The three other shortlisted finalists in the running for the prestigious award were Fuzhou International Container Terminal – China, Jakarta International Container Terminal – Indonesia and Laem Chabang International Terminal – Thailand.
Commenting on this remarkable achievement, CICT CEO Mr. Jack Huang said: “This award is most significant because it is not just about volumes. The winners are selected by the votes of the people that matter the most – freight and logistics companies and clients from around Asia and the Pacific who have business internationally. The award recognises demonstrated leadership, consistency in service quality, innovation and reliability. CICT is therefore greatly honoured to have won the AFLAS award for the 7th year in succession. I am very proud of the team I am working with.”
“CICT has actively embraced technological innovation, promoted digitalization, emphasized talent development, continuously optimized operational efficiency, and improved customer satisfaction,” Mr Huang added. “This award will inspire CICT to further expand and enhance terminal management, streamline operational processes, and raise service levels to create greater value for our customers.”
CICT handles more than half of Sri Lanka’s import and export trade volume. Located at a strategic point on the Maritime Silk Road, CICT is near the international shipping routes from the Far East to Europe, and offers a well-developed logistics system. CICT currently serves 30 shipping routes and serves as a hub for numerous shipping companies on the Far East to Europe routes.
The CICT terminal has a quay length of 1,200 meters, covers 58 hectares of land, and is equipped with 14 advanced quay cranes, 46 fully electric rubber-tired gantry cranes, and offers a water depth of 18 meters at the quay, making it the only deep-water container terminal in operation in South Asia, capable of handling the largest container vessels in the world. CICT also features Sri Lanka’s first and the most advanced hazardous goods storage yard, with an annual capacity of handling 50,000 TEUs of hazardous cargo.
CICT officially commenced operations in 2014, with a throughput of 680,000 TEUs in its first year. By 2022, the throughput had reached 3.18 million TEUs, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 18.7% over nine years and contributing to the rise in global rankings of the Port of Colombo from 34th place in 2012 to 23rd place in 2022.
Currently, CICT maintains a stable quay crane operating efficiency of 33 moves per hour, leading the South Asian region. As of September 2023, the average vessel turnaround time has been reduced by 1.3 hours compared to the same period in 2022.
CICT is the flagship overseas terminal of China Merchants Port Holdings Company Limited (CMPort). CMPort is the largest and a globally-competitive public port developer, investor and operator in China with investments in Mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas. CMPort has a port network portfolio spanning 50 ports in 26 countries and regions. Guided by the vision “To be a world class comprehensive port service provider” and supported by its domestic, overseas and innovation strategies, CMPort strives to strengthen its core competencies in global throughput, port service and management.
Nominees for the AFLAS awards are judged on adherence to criteria standards encompassing higher operational productivity, efficient turnaround of trucks delivering and picking up containers; provision of suitable container shipping-related infrastructure; cost competitiveness, customer service level and customer satisfaction; timely and adequate investment in new facilities to meet future demand; innovative operating environment, facilitation of ancillary services and ease of doing business activities; and effective and easy-to-use IT systems.
The AFLAS Awards are designed to honour leading service providers including air and shipping lines; airports and seaports; and logistics, 3PLs and other associated industry professionals for demonstrating leadership as well as consistency in service quality, innovation, customer-relationship management and reliability.
