CICT opens Sri Lanka’s only Dangerous Goods Storage Facility

Sri Lanka’s first, and South Asia’s most advanced, Dangerous Goods Storage Facility (DGSF) was commissioned last week ( May 10) at the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) equipping the Port of Colombo with a sophisticated storage yard for cargo classified under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.

An investment of US$ 1.5 million (about Rs. 265 million) by CICT, the DGSF constructed and equipped to the highest international standard, enables the Terminal to isolate IMDG cargo under protection while safeguarding the environment and personnel and ensuring cargo safety, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. “Safety and security are key priorities in everything we do, and this facility will significantly enhance the capabilities and reputation of the Port of Colombo,” CICT CEO Jack Huang said. “Being part of a global container terminal operation, CICT complies with the world’s highest standards and best practices, and constantly seeks to provide value added services to our valuable customers.” Encompassing an area with a capacity to accommodate up to 471 TEUs at a time, the facility has explosion- proof yard surfaces, manual and automatic spray-rod cooling, refrigerator storage, advanced fire control and fire fighting equipment including a sand pool, a 50kg wheeled ABC powder extinguisher, sand pool emergency tram and shovel, pillar hydrant and fire hose cabinet; sophisticated lightning protection, body static eliminators at entrances, sand pool for leaking containers, dual power supply with an automatic conversion system and UPS capabilities, an emergency treatment site and an emergency material tool room.

“The entire area is protected with round-the-clock video monitoring with explosive- proof ball type cameras and explosive-proof gun type cameras, automatic sound and light alarms and anti-collision pier environment control equipment,” the company said.

Managed by the global giant CMPort, CICT handled 2.68 million TEUs in 2018, recording a 12 per cent increase in its annual throughput and contributing 38 per cent of the Port of Colombo’s volume of 7 million TEUs in the year.