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Colombo is now South Asia's number one port

samv

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According to The Hindu...

Jawaharlal Nehru Port knocked out of top-30 list

For a number of years Jawaharlal Nehru Port has been finding a place among the top 30 container ports in the world. But in 2012 it has slipped out of the top league as it could handle only 4.2 million TEUs whereas the 30th port Valencia handled 4.4 million TEUs.


...Despite handling 4.2 million TEUs in 2012, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port could find itself only at the 32nd position after Colombo. This is the first time Colombo has over taken the Jawaharlal Nehru Port by handling 4.35 million TEUs thereby getting it placed at the 31st slot ahead of J N Port. While the J N Port recorded a negative growth of – 1.4 per cent Colombo port registered a growth of 2% in 2012.


Ambitious expansion plans for Colombo Port

Sri Lanka opened a $500 million container terminal at Colombo port last week--the biggest investment in the Island’s harbours as the country went ahead to upgrade its port infrastructure with Chinese help. The new terminal, built and operated by China Merchant’s Holdings International Company, will have capacity to handle 2.4 million TEUs a year and boost Colombo’s capacity by half. With the addition of new terminal Colombo will have a container handling capacity of 7.5 million TEUs.

Sri Lanka Port authority is also building another container terminal with an annual capacity to handle 2.4 million TEUs which is expected to be ready for operations in 2014. Sri Lanka Ports Authority launched its vision for 2020 in July 2013 which shows that Colombo would be able to achieve a container handling capacity of 10 million TEUs by 2020.


The new container terminal is 85 per cent owned by the China Merchant Holdings International with the rest owned by Sri Lanka Port Authority. It is designed to handle mega container ships of capacity upto 18,000 TEUs capable of accommodating the new Maersk Line’s Triple E Class Vessels which has just been pressed into service. Sri Lanka wants Colombo to compete effectively as a transshipment port with Dubai in the west and Singapore in the East.

Port development in Sri Lanka on fast track

It is indeed amazing to note that a country which was in the grip of a three decade long civil war has been able to develop its port infrastructure with a $ 3.7 billion funding from China and $ 300 million loan from the Asian Development Bank in addition to mobilizing its own money to the extent of $ 100 million. The mega port is protected by constructing a 6.8km long tsunami-resistant breakwater. Sri Lanka appears to have realised that the huge investments made by Singapore and Dubai have significantly contributed to faster economic development of these countries. Sri Lanka expects that its huge investment in port development will help it develop Colombo into a strategic transshipment hub along the world’s most lucrative trading route.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port knocked out of top-30 list | Business Line
 
This is great news! If we expand port infrastructure to become among the best in the world, which it is fast becoming, then it will become more and more attractive as a place to build industry.

Even if the port was 100% Chinese owned, it still brings a lot of money in the form of investment, added capital, increased economic growth, etc.
 
we need to catch up :possed:

btw,well done sri lanka :tup:
 
awesome news..

I believe you just necro'd this post...
But yes it is awesome news.

Colombo is very close to international shipping routes,that possess a great advantage for them.

BTW, India is going to construct its largest container port in Vizhinjam (near Trivandrum,Kerala) which will be the biggest threat for Colombo..:yay:

Construction will start by the end of this year..:)

Fantastic news for India if this works out, but from your own link:

"The lack of any industries in Vizhinjam is the critical indicator for the almost nonexistent expected gateway traffic that the IFC forecast. The IFC, with inputs from Drewrey Consultants who undertook a market study suggested that the port to compete with Colombo would need to offer up to 40% discounts to Colombo to attract transshipment traffic."

Only way to find out is try!
 
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