Expanded quay length and carrier confidence signal accelerated growth for the Port of Colombo’s transhipment operations

The Colombo East Container Terminal of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority marked a pivotal operational milestone today with the commissioning of its third berth at the Port of Colombo. The occasion drew senior representatives from leading global carriers including Maersk, CMA CGM and MSC, whose presence reflected sustained commercial confidence in Colombo’s capacity, reliability and evolving technical calibre. Their remarks highlighted satisfaction with recent advances in berth productivity, yard management and vessel turnaround times, while reaffirming their intent to deepen cooperation with the Authority-managed terminal alongside privately operated facilities, in order to further refine port-wide performance metrics.

Speaking at the event, Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe (Retired), Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, conveyed his appreciation to the shipping lines for their continued engagement and enduring institutional relationships with the SLPA. He noted that the Colombo East Container Terminal alone processed in excess of 500,000 TEUs during 2025, despite operating with incomplete infrastructure for part of the year. With the third berth now brought into service, he indicated that throughput volumes are expected to accelerate materially, strengthening Colombo’s standing as a principal transhipment centre serving the Indian subcontinent, the Bay of Bengal and East–West mainline services.

Managing Director Eng. Ganaka Hemachandra described the commissioning as a significant collective attainment that advances Colombo’s operational depth and technical reach. He stated that jetty construction works are scheduled for full completion by mid-February this year, after which all operational systems will be integrated to enable the terminal to function at full scale. This, he said, positions the facility to pursue an ambitious throughput objective of 1.5 million TEUs within the year. He further observed that the steady advancement of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, together with other terminal operators within the Port of Colombo as an integrated maritime complex, is contributing tangible economic value through foreign exchange earnings, employment generation and enhanced trade connectivity.