COLOMBO, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Colombo Port has moved up one notch in the world's best port ranking to 22nd this year, due to a healthy 6 percent growth in volumes to record 7.25 million TEUs in 2021, local media quoting the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) reported here Monday.
SLPA chief Prasantha Jayamanna told the local Daily FT that the improvement was welcome, adding that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested elevating the port's position to within top 15 by 2025.
According to official statistics, the Colombo Port saw a volume increase of 5.8 percent in 2021 from the previous year. Transhipment grew by 4.2 percent to 5.85 million TEUs.
The SLPA terminals on their part saw a 5 percent growth to 2.2 million TEUs in 2021.
There are currently three container terminals at the Colombo Port -- the Jaya container terminal (JCT) operated by the SLPA, the South Asian gateway terminal (SAGT), and Colombo international container terminal (CICT), which is operated and managed by China Merchants Port.
As the only deepwater container terminal in South Asia capable of handling the largest vessels afloat, CICT has helped the Colombo Port to significantly enhance its position in the world shipping industry since its opening in 2013. ■
