Abstract:
Applications of Information Technology in the cargo handling business in general and the
container shipping industry in particular are numerous and have grown rapidly in recent
past. Software systems for cargo manifesting, operation planning, container tracking,
plant operation and billing for the services provided have been developed by reputed
software companies and such systems are in place in many leading ports throughout the
world.
The Port of Colombo started its container operation business as far back as 1979 and it is
a pioneer in the Asian region. The Port of Colombo has two container terminal operators,
namely Jaya Container Terminal, which is owned and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports
Authority and the South Asia Gateway Terminal, which is owned by a consortium of P
& O Shipping Line, John Keells Holdings and few other private organizations. Port of
Colombo has maintained prominent rank (between 2 1 s t and 3 8 t h in the world) on the basis
of container volume handled annually.
As a result of continuous development works carried out in the past with the assistance of
the Japanese Government, total revenue of the Port of Colombo has increased from a
mere Rs. 650 million in 1979 (about US$ 26 million at 1979 rate) to Rs. 16 billion at
2003 (about US $ 160 million at today's rates) and this makes SLPA the most profitable
institution in Sri Lanka. Almost all major container shipping lines use the Port of
Colombo facilities; few examples, Mearsk Sealand Shipping Line (world largest
container shipping line), P & O Shipping Line, Evergreen Shipping Line.
Terminal Operators today face challenges in providing speedy services requested by
shipping lines that operate very large ships with capacity more than 8,000 TEUs (twenty
foot equivalent units). Few examples are, limitations of infrastructure (e.g. depth of the
port), providing quay cranes, which can handle many rows of containers across the ship,
and providing high berth productivity levels (in moves per hour), so that ship will stay a
short time in the port. To provide those service requirements container terminals have to
invest on information technology systems such as automated container location and
positioning, wireless LAN, efficient yard operation software etc.
The Port of Colombo depends on transhipment containers to maintain its current status as
a recognised "Mega Container Port". But it has to face stiff competition form regional
ports which are developing fast while Port of Colombo development work stagnating due
to scarcity of capital. Also due to slow pace of development work, Port of Colombo finds
that, it is very difficult to provide service levels requested by shipping lines.
One way to improve service levels is by using an efficient information system and it will
help to increase current low level of yard utilisation and vessel productivity levels to
industry norm levels. This will help to increasing annual throughput capacity of the JCT
from current 1.7 million TEUs to 2.8 million TEUs. In addition, such a system can
support better flow of information with clients (e.g. using industry standard EDI
messages), and online information to the shipping community. Also this will help to
increase the satisfaction level of the shipping community, which is at a low ebb now.