Container traffic on rise in Lankan ports

Colombo: Operations at Colombo Port shows a steady growth during 2005 - 2006 periods compared to the first two months of respective years. Against the total container throughput of 117,427 TEUs in January 2005, Sri Lanka Ports Authority controlled Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) shows a volume of 136,362 by January 2006, a change of 16.1 per cent.

Private owned South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) has shown a total container throughput of 76,743 TEUs in January 2006 against 72,653 TEUs for the same month of 2005; a change of 5.6 per cent.

The total container throughput for the Port of Colombo meanwhile reaches a volume of 215,516 TEUs in January 2006 against 191,281 TEUs handled for the same month of last year; a positive change of 12.7 per cent.

Container Throughput handling for the month of February of 2005 and 2006 also shows positive growth in all spheres. Against the total handling of 99,295 TEUs at JCT for February 2005, a total handling of 113,944 TEUs for the same month, this year marks a growth up by a change of 14.8 per cent.

The change from 69,106 TEUs for February 2005 to 70,673 TEUs for February 2006 by SAGT shows a change of 2.3 per cent.

Colombo Port marked 187,437 TEUs for February 2006 against 170,406 TEUs for the same month of 2005 making a round figure total positive change of 10 per cent.

The total operations for both months of 2005 and 2006 by ICT shows a positive change of 15.5 per cent showing a difference from 216,722 TEUs in 2005 to 250,306 TEUs in 2006.

The total operations by port of Colombo for both first two months of 2005 and 2006 shows a positive change of 11.4 per cent reaching from 316,687 TEUs in 2005 to 402,953 TEUs in 2006.

The new management of SLPA has obtained more volumes to SLPA via increased domestic as well as transhipment operations, contributing a greater portion to the revenue of Port of Colombo.