Sri Lanka’s Hambantota International Port sees CMA CGM vessels calling at Port
Two vessels owned by global French transportation and shipping group CMA CGM had late last month made their maiden call at Hambantota International Port (HIP).
Local media reports noted that the vessels which were scheduled to call at the Colombo Port, had diverted to HIP for the transshipment of 450 units, and 722 TEUs.
Accordingly, the Singaporean flag bearing MV ‘Glacier Bay’ carrying containerised cargo from the Jebel Ali port in Dubai, had berthed at the port on 25 November to discharge containerised cargo including reefer containers for transshipment.
The cargo bound for several European ports with the final destination of Durban, had been loaded on to MV ‘Aldi Wave’ which docked at HIP the following day. The ship sailing under the Cyprus flag had arrived from Nava Shiva to take the transshipment cargo from HIP, as the discharging vessel ‘Glacier Bay’ was returning to Singapore from where she would join another service.
“Since the Hambantota Port could handle this move, we quickly got the paperwork ready and handed over the operation to HIP, who efficiently handled the transshipment. Four containers earmarked for Colombo, were also discharged in Hambantota and are to be sent by road under customs supervision. Overall operation concluded smoothly at HIP and is a great alternative because previously we lost two vessels to India due to similar problems. We are glad HIP came to the rescue this time complementing the Colombo Port and the vessels were retained for Sri Lanka,” CMA CGM Sri Lanka Group Director Ikram Ghazali has been quoted as saying.
The transshipment operation was carried out with HIP maintaining strict health and safety protocols.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s Hambantota International Port is fast becoming a port of call for many international shipping lines given its close proximity to the international maritime line. Given the congestion at the Colombo Port, the Hambantota Port is fast becoming an alternative for the overcrowding ships in Colombo. Sri Lanka’s geographical positioning in the Indian Ocean, the many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed by the country have made it a business hub in the South Asian region. The country’s ports, shipping and maritime sectors have greatly benefited from these facts while also expanding the business/investment opportunities in these sectors. Also, given the developments in Sri Lanka’s ports, shipping and maritime sectors foreign businesses could explore business/investment opportunities in the key economic sectors in the country.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/10122020/Z_1 |