First vessel under port business promotion programme calls at ECT

MSC America, the first container vessel under the business promotions programme to attract new lines to the Port of Colombo (POC), called at the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Port of Colombo yesterday. 

The latest has been planned and implemented  in collaboration with the Ministry of Ports and  Shipping,  Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT), South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA) and Sri Lanka Association of Vessel Owners (SLAVO).

Attracting more new lines to the POC, increasing operational efficiency, expediting naval services, efficiency in logistics and warehouse management and container and cargo transportation are among the objectives. 
MSC America carried 2300 TEUs to Colombo and is expected to carry 2500 TEUs on a weekly basis. The vessel with a length of 334m and 7.5m draft sails under the flag of Panama. The port rotation includes Singapore and South Africa.   

MSC is the largest global shipping line with a fleet of more than 775 TEU vessels for container transportation around the world. The shipping line that maintains long term operations with the POC has a collaborative business relationship of more than 10 years with SLPA.  

Since 2015, it is the prime shipping line of the POC with an annual operational capacity of 2.0m TEUs. It performs about 900 calls per annum at the POC. 

The deep draft vessels owned by MSC call at the CICT of the POC, while calling the SLPA controlled JCT and ECT with more than 1.0m TEUS per annum becoming the main SLPA customer. 
According to MSC Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, the local agents for MSC shipping lines, another 03 new shipping lines under INGWE West Bound service, East Africa Express service and East Med Service will be calling this month at the POC. 

To mark MSC America’s first call at the POC, a special plaque exchange was held at the ECT of the SLPA between Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation – Nimal Siripala de Silva and the Master of the vessel – Capt. Matlin Alexander. The Chairman of SLPA – Keith D. Bernard and several representatives of MSC Lanka (Pvt) Ltd also attended the occasion. 

Expressing views at the occasion Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said, “With the deep draft of the East Container Terminal, there is ample potential for mega vessels to call at the port. The remaining development process of the terminal is expedited with an investment of Rs.5.9 billion. 

Today, a mega vessel of the MSC has contributed for container operations via the Port of Colombo.  Similarly 04 new services will be added to increase the capacity of the POC. That will increase our revenue. This has further strengthened the credibility placed by the international shipping community on the Port of Colombo.”