Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) has recorded the maiden call of a new service to the Port of Colombo that will connect Sri Lanka with the East Coast of the United States via Asia, strengthening another important trade route for exporters and importers and making Sri Lanka more accessible to global markets.
Launched on May 16, the new shipping service ‘AA7’ is operated by Wan Hai Lines as the lead line and Hapag Lloyd as the partner line. It will call at CICT on a weekly basis, as part of a port rotation that includes Shanghai - Ningbo (including Zhoushan) – Taipei - Shekou (Shenzhen) - Cai Mep – Singapore – Colombo - New York - Norfolk (including Portsmouth) – Charleston - Savannah, and then back to Shanghai.
CICT CEO Jack Huang said, “One of our key contributions to the Port of Colombo is our ability to attract new services that enhance connectivity and volumes. This is due to the efficiency and productivity standards that we have achieved and consistently maintained throughout the operational years. “CICT, being part of the global network of China Merchants Port Holdings Company Limited, has invested to add deep-water capacity and introduce state-of-the-art infrastructure and processes which have enabled our customers to enjoy international service levels. We are delighted to welcome the new AA7 service of Wan Hai Lines to Colombo and look forward to facilitating many more new services at CICT and the Port of Colombo,” he said. The Wan Hai A10 cargo vessel that docked at the CICT has a capacity of 13,500 TEUs and is 335 metres in length.