Industry insiders on Sunday said that it was unprecedented in the port’s history.
According to port sources, three ships were scheduled to depart the port on Sunday morning with export cargo. However, the ongoing protest prevented any containers from being cleared or moved from the 19 private container depots to the port. Though a few containers had been loaded before the shutdown, the bulk remained undelivered, leaving AS Cecilia, Express Nilwala, and Hong Da Jin-68 stranded at the jetty.
Shipping officials said these containers were meant for transshipment via Singapore to Europe and the US. With no movement from depots, ships now face delays and potential missed connections.
