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A joint communiqué issued by Sri Lanka Ports Authority, South Asia Gateway Terminal and Colombo International Container Terminal, has confirmed that Colombo port operations have been ‘normalised’ after a challenging period characterised by delays to berthing and cargo build up.
Average berthing delays are now 3 hours and 2.5 hours respectively for vessel arrivals and departures, and this is primarily due to peak navigational demands and unseasonal weather. Vessels without a preallocated berthing window are being held at anchorage and may encounter intermittent berthing delays, the statement says.
Container movements between the three terminals in the port have been restored, although it is accepted that intermittent challenges are still being experienced during high volume movements for specific vessels with short lead times. Carriers are being requested to reduce long dwell transhipment containers at terminals, in order to assist efforts to maintain optimum yard operations.
All of the three terminals are now at close to optimal operational levels, although the communique points out that the average transhipment container dwell time in the port has increased exponentially since the pandemic. In an effort to manage yard density in the three terminals, transhipment containers must be nominated to on-carrying vessels within 7 days of discharge, the statement says.
In terms of quayside productivity, the three terminals are said to be back to normal operations with the deployment of the necessary quay cranes and required support equipment. The communiqué ends by saying: “The Port of Colombo is committed to relentlessly pursuing minimal end-to-end port time for vessels. This remains our perpetual aspiration and promise to customers.”
In an important development for the port, the foundation stone for a new Container Freight Station (CFS) was laid last week at the Unity Container Terminal (UCT) with the aim of improving the quality of the container handling facilities at the Port of Colombo. The event was held in the presence of the Minister of Ports and Shipping, Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardena and the Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), General Daya Ratnayake.
The CFS is expected to be constructed within a year and will be further upgraded to provide warehousing facilities by January 2022. The facility will cover an area of 9,500 m2 for general cargo and 1060 m2 for hazardous cargo storage.
