Container throughput at Colombo Port almost touches pre-pandemic levels in first half

• Cumulative container handling recovers to 3.57mn TEUs, compared to pre-pandemic 3.59mn TEUs
• “Third wave of COVID-19 had a limited impact on port activity and demand”- SAGT

The container throughput at the Port of Colombo recovered nearly touching the pre-pandemic levels in the first half of the year, with both domestic and transshipment volumes rebounding in the second quarter, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) data showed. 

The cumulative container handling at the port recovered by 9.1 percent year-on-year (YoY) to 3.57 million TEUs in the period, almost touching the pre-pandemic 
levels of 3.59 million TEUs.

The port handled 6.3 percent more transshipment volumes in the six-month period compared to the same period of last year.  The transshipment throughput stood at 2.86 million TEUs while the domestic container volume, which was up by 19.2 percent YoY, stood at 617,353 TEUs.

The container handling at China Merchant Port (CMPort) Holdings-managed Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) rose by 9.2 percent YoY, topping 1.5 million TEUs in the six-month 
period, according to the company. 

The South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) reported a 2.5 percent YoY increase in container throughput at 928,757 TEUs, overtaking the state-controlled Jaya Container Terminals (JCT) in the period. In particular, the container throughput at SAGT and CICT saw a 23 percent YoY increase in the second quarter of the year.
“The third wave of COVID-19 had a limited impact on the port activity and demand unlike with the onset of the pandemic in the first quarter of last year (FY 2021-22),” 
SAGT stated.

Meanwhile, the container handling at JCT declined by 13.4 percent YoY to 863,538 million TEUs.
East Container Terminal (ECT), the other state-controlled terminal, which commenced operations in the fourth quarter of last year, handled 224,611 TEUs in the six-month period of the year.

In addition, restowing at the Port of Colombo rebounded by 41.2 percent YoY to 94,437 TEUs in the period.
Overall, ship traffic at Sri Lanka’s ports recorded a marginal decline of 1.8 percent YoY. However, cargo handling by the country’s port rose by 13.8 percent YoY to 54.78 million MT in the six-month period.

In particular, CMPort-managed Hambantota Port handled 793,000 tonnes of cargo (excluding vehicle volumes), recording an impressive 338.1 percent YoY growth in the period. 

(NF)