SAGT continues to drive sustainable development and innovation within maritime industry

South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), Sri Lanka’s first Public Private Partnership container terminal and BOI flagship project commenced operations in 1999. Operating from the Port of Colombo (PoC), the lifeblood of the Sri Lankan economy, SAGT plays an integral role in the country’s economic development. 

Through its 24 years in operations SAGT has been featured on the global stage for its efficiency, productivity, best in class operational practices and sustainability initiatives. A noteworthy recognition for SAGT, was to be ranked number 1 is South Asia and number 4 in the world for terminal productivity by the Journal of Commerce of the United States of America in the year 2015.

The maritime industry which is the largest facilitator of global trade has continued to be at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s economic developments for centuries due its strategic geographic position. However, moving beyond the geographic advantage SAGT has committed to drive sustainable development through innovation within the Sri Lankan maritime industry to ensure business longevity and create greater value for global stakeholders. 

As a testament to its commitment to excellence, SAGT continues to be a pathfinder in its own right within the Sri Lankan maritime landscape. Charting a course to net zero ahead of the 2050 target, SAGT integrated hybrid technology into its Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes, successfully driving down diesel consumption by 1,633,655 litres ensuring the reduction of 3,959 metric tonnes (MT) of carbon emissions from being released in the atmosphere in 2022/23. To provide perspective, SAGT’s fuel saving can power a fleet of 37 RTG’s for a year based on the previous years’ operating hours! 

Venturing beyond the boundaries of its own terminal SAGT is leading the charge for integrating green hydrogen power and electrification within PoC by underwriting a feasibility study in partnership with Greenstat Hydrogen Ltd. This initiative will accelerate the “greening” of PoC which is in-line with the Sri Lankan Government’s countrywide aspirations for greener energy sources.

Identifying digitisation as a key driver towards sustainable operations SAGT continues to integrate technology into its operations. Initiatives such as digitising SAGT’s import container clearance process, providing customers access to a dashboard depicting real time vessel performance at SAGT’s berth, and the upcoming gate and quayside automation improves transparency and efficiency ensuring reliability across the board for all stakeholders. 

SAGT’s leadership to driving sustainable and green operations within the maritime industry is aptly chartered in ‘An Unwavering Commitment to Sustainability’ the company’s fourth consecutive independently audited sustainability report for 2022/23, which to date remains the only sustainability report published by a PoC terminal.