Title: Truck turnaround time problem at the port of Colombo and a solution through inland ports

Authors: Jayantha Rathnayake; Lu Jing; Durga Erandi

Addresses: Colombo International Nautical and Engineering College, Millennium Park, Malabe, Sri Lanka ' Transportation Management College, Dalian Maritime University, 1, Linghai Road, Dalian, China ' Freight Links (Pvt.) Ltd., Colombo, Sri Lanka

Abstract: This paper examines the truck turnaround time (TTT) procedure at the port of Colombo where trucks are said to be delayed causing congestion in the port and on the roads of Colombo city. A survey conducted in the Colombo port premises showed that the TTT in the Colombo port is relatively longer; ranging from minimum 47 minutes to maximum eight hours with mean value of three hours. As a solution to improve the TTT, applicability of inland ports, which are expected to replicate the services and facilities of seaports, was considered. Secondary data, other data presented in the studies conducted earlier on the subject matter and an opinion survey were used as the methodology to assess the plausibility of the proposed solution to TTT problem and it was found that inland port to be the most feasible and suitable solution that meets the need of most of the stakeholders of the logistics industry as the inland ports could be connected to the sea port through railways thus bringing a relief to the problems created by TTT in the port and its effect on the city roads.

Keywords: truck turnaround time; TTT; sea ports; inland ports; congestion; capacity issues; railways; Sri Lanka; port congestion; trucks; logistics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2015.070208

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2015 Vol.21 No.4, pp.413 - 441

Received: 21 Mar 2014
Accepted: 26 May 2014
Published online: 29 Jun 2015 *

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