Minister Silva urges enhanced efficiency in Colombo Port operations amidst surge in ship arrivals due to Red Sea crisis

Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, issued directives yesterday to officials of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, emphasising the need for additional measures to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of ship operations as the number of cargo vessels arriving at the port of Colombo has increased, leading to a rise in container operation capacity due to the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea in the Middle East.

The instructions were conveyed during a special inspection visit to the Jayabahalu Container Terminal of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. The surge in arrivals is attributed to the war situation in the Middle East, prompting shipping companies to choose Colombo Port as a safety measure against terrorist threats faced by merchant ships navigating the Suez Canal to the Red Sea.

To accommodate the increased traffic, berthing facilities for 24 ships have been arranged in the harbour, with approximately 10 more ships awaiting anchorage outside. Despite the challenges, the Jayabahalu Container Terminal (JCT) and Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) managed to handle about 100 ships in January alone, including five passenger ships that arrived at the Colombo Port.

In the month of January, these two terminals collectively processed 193,000 containers, marking a remarkable 70% improvement. The overall container handling for the Colombo Port during January reached 554,000 containers.

During the visit, Minister de Silva provided instructions to the officers for the effective and efficient execution of ship operations. Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the management, executive officers, employees, and trade union representatives for their support in ensuring the success of this crucial process.