Colombo Port operations nearing normalcy
View(s):Sri Lanka’s shipping industry together with the authorities are currently working out a strategy to ensure shipping lines will now return to the Colombo port as operations are reaching near normalcy.
Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Gen. Daya Ratnayaka told the Business Times on Friday that the Colombo port has returned to normal with berthing of vessels and inter terminal transfers coming back to normal while there are about 10,000 containers to be transferred which is a normal occurance.
This assurance is required to ensure that the shipping lines will re-route and call Colombo again for which the authorities are working together with the shipping industry in Colombo.
Gen. Ratnayaka noted that in the past weeks the SLPA itself had requested some of these lines to re-route due to the congestion but now they could assure them of returning the port to near normal.
He pointed out, “we are very concerned about what happened a few weeks back and we have brought back the situation to near normal,” adding that presently there is “huge cooperation” among all stakeholders and this situation has created an opportunity to ensure they work together in future as well.
Meanwhile, the SLPA had recorded about 11 positive COVID-19 cases on Thursday as well but the situation regarding the health concerns is currently under control, Gen. Ratnayaka affirmed.
Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA) Chairman Iqram Cuttilan told the Business Times, “we want to ensure that the vessels will not bypass and go – and in the next three to four weeks we need to ensure that the vessels that are scheduled to call Colombo will maintain the call and not bypass Colombo now that berthing delays have reduced; and secondly for future weeks, vessels that want to call Colombo and whose principals have asked not to, will ensure they will call Colombo.”
In short, he noted they want to give the assurance to these shipping lines that have now re-routed their traffic to other ports that the terminal is working normally.
This has been under discussion at a series of meetings held over the past few weeks with the authorities of the other two terminals – South Asia Gateway Terminal and the Colombo International Container Terminal – and the shipping industry. Overall, he noted the port situation has “tremendously improved” due to increased worker turnout, shipping lines omitting Colombo reducing the congestion and increased focus on inter terminal trucking. (SD)