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| Sunday, 14 September 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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SAGT completes four years South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd (SAGT) has completed four successful years of operations as the first private container terminal in Sri Lanka. Along with its anniversary, SAGT also celebrates the completion of construction of its facility at Queen Elizabeth Quay (QEQ) and the launch of its website. With an annual capacity of over one million TEUs, this facility has a kilometre of linear berth with 15m water depth, six Super Post Panamax quay cranes, three Post Panamax quay cranes and 28 rubber tyred gantry cranes. Management needs are covered by the management contract with P&O Ports. SAGT has also recorded many achievements in the Port of Colombo such as increasing the QEQ annual throughput from 200,000 TEUs to over 500,000 TEUs and working a vessel using three cranes at the old QEQ wharf. With the completion of the construction and the re-equipment of the QEQ facility, SAGT now claims to be one of the most modern container terminals in the region utilising the world's most sophisticated IT infrastructure. The website provides SAGT customers access to sophisticated services through the e-Port. Shippers, consignees and shipping lines can track their cargo movements on a real time basis, including demurrage charges up to a given date. Extensive inquiry options, custom report generation facilities, real time vessel operations and productivity monitoring are the other features of the SAGT e-Port. The website incorporates some of the best security features available to protect against unauthorised access and maintain data integrity with more facilities scheduled to be available in the future. Among them is SAGT's e-Port capability to provide a total 'Business-to-Business' solution framework, where customers and suppliers get access to services such as electronic invoicing and payment, credit inquiries and electronic delivery processing. SAGT has leveraged its efficiency and productivity-focused mentality in many aspects of the Port by introducing terminal service agreements with performance guarantees. Further improvements attributable to SAGT have been the use of computerised Vessel and Yard Planning Systems and Terminal Management Systems, which have allowed the terminal to upgrade the existing organisational skill and performance levels to achieve international standards in service and productivity. Other firsts notched up by SAGT include the introduction of window berthing programmes and the introduction of an employee-friendly working system that has removed the need for excessive overtime. It also meets the highest standards laid forth internationally for maintaining occupational health, safety and environment protection criteria. SAGT is owned by a consortium of local and foreign organisations such as John Keells Holdings Ltd, P&O Ports, P&O Nedlloyd, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Evergreen Corporation, Asian Development Bank, International Finance Corporation and Commonwealth Development Corporation. |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
