JCT handles first 10,000TEU container vessel to call on Lanka

December 20, 2011, 8:39 pm 

Making a yet another significant landmark in the container handling history of Sri Lanka, the state-owned Jaye Container Terminal (JCT) received on Monday, December 19, 2011 a 10,000 TEU class Container Carrier, "APL Chongqing", operated by APL, the container shipping arm of the Singapore-based global transportation and logistics group, Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) announced yesterday.

Christened in early December this year, APL Chongqing and APL Gwangyang, were the first two new-builds to be received by APL from ship builder, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea, among an order of thirty-two (32) similar or larger vessels ordered. These two vessels have been deployed on the Far East-Europe South China Express loop (SCX). APL is the world’s fifth largest container shipping line generating a revenue of USD 8.3 billion in 2010. APL operates well over eighty (80) weekly services reaching over 25,000 locations in 140 countries.

When Sri Lanka opened its door to welcome foreign investment in 1992, Trident Shipping Agencies Pvt Ltd (forerunner of APL Lanka) was the first foreign-local joint venture shipping agency company to receive Board of Investment (BOI) approval. In fact, it has been registered in the annals of container shipping history in Sri Lanka that Colombo began container operations with APL, as far back as 1973 on a very small scale. The first vessel President Tylerwas berthed at QEQ in December 1973 and brought nine laden import containers that were discharged using ship’s gear. 

Since then, APL has been a loyal and prominent customer of SLPA.

APL arrived at a decision in early 2009 to exclusively patronize SLPA terminals. Their decision, according to them, was based on the productivity and efficiency gains achieved at JCT, combined with the customer oriented outlook of the SLPA management. Marking the successful culmination of the long standing and unfailing confidence in SLPA, last year APL christened one of its brand new Container Vessels as "APL Sri Lanka" and deployed it into their China India Express (CIX) service which touches JCT on its west-bound voyage.

 In April this year, demonstrating its commitment to the Sri Lankan maritime community and in a bid to tap into the country’s pool of capable and well-qualified graduates, APL entered into an agreement with SLPA’s Mahapola Training Institute (MPTI) to train 20 new seafarers from the Institute annually on board its vessels. Significantly, the first marine cadet officer from MPTI will join the brand new 10,000 TEU  "APL Chongqing" on her maiden call from Colombo.

 In celebration of the significance of this historic landmark event to JCT, SLPA and to Sri Lanka at large, a plaque exchange ceremony was held on board the vessel "APL Chongqing" on her maiden voyage at JCT/SLPA, on the 20th of December, 2011. Plaques were exchanged between SLPA upper echelon comprising Chairman, Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, Managing Director, Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, and the Master of the Vessel Capt. Ong Ming Foo in the presence of APL top brass including Chairman, Mr. Arthur Senanayake, Managing Director, Mr. Micky Sim and other senior SLPA and APL officials and customers.