Continues its sustainability journey with new clean energy milestone.
South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), a pioneer in sustainable terminal operations, has taken a significant step forward in its journey towards decarbonisation with the successful installation of a 460kW rooftop solar panel array at its administrative facility. This milestone project, completed within the 2024/25 financial year, reinforces the company’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and increasing its reliance on renewable energy sources.
SAGT has long maintained a strong focus on sustainability, and remains the only terminal in Sri Lanka to publicly disclose its environmental performance through an independently accredited sustainability report. With a clear priority placed on decarbonising terminal operations, SAGT has made substantial progress in reducing Scope 1 emissions, primarily through the hybrid conversion of its Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) crane fleet. To date, 28 of 31 cranes have been hybridised, contributing to a 22% reduction in carbon intensity per move over the past six years.
The new solar project addresses Scope 2 emissions, which accounted for 22% of SAGT’s overall carbon footprint in the 2024/25 period. The rooftop installation is part of a wider strategy to transition to clean energy sources, and now supplies approximately 3-5% of the company’s annual energy needs, marking the first instance of onsite renewable energy generation at SAGT.
Looking ahead, the company is accelerating its sustainability agenda with a series of targeted renewable energy and electrification initiatives. As part of this roadmap, SAGT will introduce two electric forklifts in 2025 and plans to convert 30 prime movers to electric models from its fleet of 80. The company is also evaluating additional solar installations on its gatehouse rooftops, aiming to create “green gates” that are self-sufficient and powered entirely by solar energy. This will allow gate operations to be completely independent of the grid, with zero emissions.
These investments reflect SAGT’s broader ambition to align operational excellence with environmental responsibility, ensuring that growth and sustainability go hand in hand.
Commenting on SAGTs latest initiative Romesh David, CEO of SAGT stated “We are proud to mark this new chapter in our sustainability journey with the commissioning of our rooftop solar array. This investment reflects our deep commitment to reducing our environmental footprint while supporting national and global climate goals. As the industry evolves, we are determined to lead by example, transforming terminal operations through clean energy adoption and innovation-driven decarbonisation”.
South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), Sri Lanka’s first Public Private Partnership container terminal, commenced operations in 1999 with a vision to be the most trusted Gateway in the Indian Ocean. Built on a foundation of Teamwork, Safety, Trust and Integrity, Customer Centricity & Excellence, SAGT presents the international trading community with a competitive best in class service. A pioneer in sustainable terminal operations, SAGT continues to steer the course for a sustainable future. Promoting “Ease of doing business” through digitalisation and digitisation is an integral part of SAGT’s DNA. SAGT is a recipient of multiple independent globally recognised “best practice” awards since its inception.
SAGT is a Board of Investment flagship company whose shareholders include John Keells Holdings, Maersk/APM Terminals, SLPA and Evergreen Marine Corporation.