Sri Lanka Ports Authority wins GPF Ports Authority of the Year 2019 award
The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) won the Ports Authority of the Year 2019 Award from the Global Ports Forum (GPF) for the second consecutive year, at the GPF awards ceremony 2019, followed by the conference forum held at Hyatt Regency Dubai Deira, in the United Arab Emirates, on February 20 2019.
Director Logistics, Marketing and Business Development Upul Jayatissa and Chief Manager Communication and Public Relations Nalin Aponso received the award on behalf of the SLPA from UAE Economics and Trade Assistant Foreign Minister and former Dubai Ports World Group CEO Mohammed Sharaf, who attended as the guest of honour at the event.
Global Port Forum Awards 2019 aims to recognize the most valuable contribution made by organisations and professionals in different areas of the ports and terminals industry and acknowledge their roles and achievements in different categories. These awards are awarded based on the nominations received and also in recognition of the important contributions and achievements made by organisations and professionals across the industry of ports and maritime last year.
The prestigious panel of judges, comprising of global ports customers and senior port experts from the Global Ports Council had duly shortlisted and selected the SLPA as the most deserving winner for the category of The GPF Award for ‘The GPF Award for Port Authority of The Year 2019’.
In a special message, Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka congratulated and conveyed warn regards and wishes for the SLPA on the achievement.
From the cosmopolitan global port city of Singapore, the entrepreneurial decision was taken in 2008 to found and launch the GPF. The awards ceremony is organised annually by the GPF, in continuation of the commitment of improving global ports and furthering the interests of ports globally through collaborations among the members of the port ecosystem.
The Port of Colombo is ranked as world’s No.01 container growth port among the top 30 container ports for the year of 2018. In container handling, the Port of Colombo has recorded a 13.5 percent growth for the 2018 over the same period last year reaching 22nd from the position of 23rd amongst global container ports, according to Alphaliner Monthly.
It is also a significant achievement as it is the first time in history the Port of Colombo reaches the top of a global maritime ranking. With this growth, the Port of Colombo has leapt ahead many other Asian ports, major European ports and Dubai as well.