The World Bank Group and S&P Global Market Intelligence have ranked the Port of Colombo as the No.1 Port in South Asia and Indian Subcontinent, for efficiency, in The Container Port Performance Index 2021. Contributing towards 44% of container volumes moving through the Port of Colombo in 2021, Colombo International Container Terminals Limited (CICT), which manages the South Terminal of the Port of Colombo, has worked hard to support the Port of Colombo to achieve this global recognition. In addition to being ranked No.1 in South Asia, the Port of Colombo has also been ranked No.3 among ports in the Indian Ocean Rim and No.22 among 370 seaports worldwide. Managed by the China Merchants Port Group (CMPort), CICT is the first deep water container terminal in Sri Lanka and is also the only terminal in the South Asian region capable of handling 22,000+ TEU vessels.
Commenting on the achievement, Jack Huang- Chief Executive Officer at CICT said, “From our inception, we have been dedicated to realizing optimum efficiency and achieving our KPIs. We have done this through extensive investments into infrastructure, process automation, crew training and standardization. As the largest contributor to container volumes at the Port of Colombo, we take this opportunity to express our congratulations to the Port of Colombo and renew our resolve to achieve new heights in terms of efficiency, volumes and overall productivity. We look forward to continuing to support the Port of Colombo to retain its No.1 status regionally, and rise even further in the global rankings.”
CICT has invested in state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure to support the operations of the Port of Colombo. Presently, CICT operates 14 quay cranes (two of which are capable of handling 22,000+ TEU vessels), 46 rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes and 105 trucks during its normal operations. CICT’s dedication to efficiency and service excellence is reflected in CICT achieving a GCR of 30.34 which is much higher than the global average. The Organization has also consistently won a number of awards presented by the AFLAS Logistics and Cargo Awards, the premier awarding body for the global shipping and logistics industry. CICT, which mainly handles larger vessels at the Port of Colombo, has also been instrumental in helping the Port of Colombo secure the No.13 position amongst ports capable of handling volumes larger than 13,500 TEUs, worldwide with a GCR of 29 moves per hour whilst the global GCR is only 23.8 moves per hour.
Colombo International Container Terminals Limited (CICT), which is managed by China Merchants Port Group (CMPort), is responsible for the management of the South Terminal of the Port of Colombo, the first deep water terminal in South Asia, equipped with all facilities to handle the largest vessels afloat. Since its inception in 2014, the terminal has incrementally grown the volumes it handles; from 686,639 TEUs in 2014 to 3.2 million TEUs in 2021. Earlier in the year, CICT was also the recipient of the Most Efficient Terminal Award at the Global Ports Forum Awards 2022. As one of the major stakeholders operating within the Port of Colombo, CICT remains committed to ensuring efficient operations and breaking new records as the operator of the South Terminal of the Port of Colombo.