June 22, Colombo (LNW): The Port of Colombo continued its strong upward momentum in April 2026, posting impressive gains in container handling and reinforcing its status as South Asia’s leading maritime transhipment gateway.
Latest figures show that transhipment volumes climbed sharply during the month, reaching 607,240 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 22.6 per cent from the 495,456 TEUs recorded in April last year. The growth extends a trend that has been evident throughout the year, with cumulative transhipment volumes for the January–April period rising by 14.2 per cent to 2.32 million TEUs.
The performance follows a landmark year in 2025 when Colombo achieved its highest-ever annual throughput of more than 8.29 million TEUs, underlining its growing importance within regional and global shipping networks.
Overall container throughput at the port rose by 22 per cent year-on-year in April to 761,096 TEUs, supported largely by the rapid expansion of the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT). The US$800 million facility, developed through a partnership involving Adani Ports, John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority under a 35-year Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement, began operations in April 2025.
As Colombo’s first fully automated deep-water terminal, CWIT has rapidly emerged as a key growth driver. The terminal processed 152,262 TEUs in April 2026, a dramatic increase from the 12,438 TEUs handled during its first month of operations a year earlier. During the first four months of the year, throughput at the terminal exceeded half a million TEUs, highlighting its growing contribution to the port’s overall performance.
The expansion of CWIT has also reshaped traffic flows across Colombo’s terminal network. Volumes handled by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority-operated facilities — namely the Jaya Container Terminal, Unity Container Terminal and East Container Terminal — remained broadly stable, recording a slight decline compared with the corresponding month last year.
Meanwhile, Colombo International Container Terminals retained its position as the port’s largest individual operator, although volumes edged down marginally. South Asia Gateway Terminals, on the other hand, registered moderate growth, signalling a recovery in activity after recent fluctuations.
Beyond transhipment business, domestic cargo movements also delivered encouraging results. Import container volumes surged by 27 per cent in April, reflecting robust demand and increased commercial activity within the country. Over the first four months of the year, import volumes rose close to 10 per cent.
Export cargo also continued to expand, albeit at a more measured pace. April export volumes increased by 2.6 per cent compared with the same month in 2025, while cumulative exports for the year to date recorded growth of 3.4 per cent, indicating steady resilience in Sri Lanka’s outbound trade sector.
Looking ahead, authorities are preparing for further expansion as capacity utilisation approaches critical levels. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority has announced an investment programme valued at up to US$2 billion to support future growth and prevent operational bottlenecks. With annual demand already nearing existing capacity limits, officials have emphasised the need for additional infrastructure to reduce vessel waiting times and maintain Colombo’s competitiveness.
Planned expansion phases at CWIT, together with the full integration of the East Container Terminal, are expected to increase the port’s overall handling capacity to around 14 million TEUs over the coming years. Industry observers believe these developments will strengthen Colombo’s position as a premier logistics and maritime hub in the Indian Ocean region despite ongoing uncertainties in global trade.
In addition to container growth, total cargo handled across the port complex reached 10.5 million tonnes in April, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.5 per cent and further underscoring the port’s accelerating growth trajectory.
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