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Business

Adani Ports doubles Colombo terminal capacity to 3.2M TEUs with $750M expansion

Sri Lanka's prime minister has inaugurated the $750 million Phase II expansion of Adani Ports' Colombo West International Terminal, doubling capacity from 1.6 million to 3.2 million TEUs.

By Priya Raman · · 1 min read

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) has doubled the capacity of its Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) to 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), following a $750 million Phase II expansion inaugurated by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya on October 1.

The expanded terminal, whose capacity has risen from 1.6 million TEUs, is targeting nearly 25 per cent of the Port of Colombo’s 13 million TEU capacity goal by 2028. It can simultaneously berth three ultra-large container vessels, strengthening Colombo’s position as a transhipment hub on the East-West trade route.

CWIT is Sri Lanka’s first fully automated deep-water container terminal, developed by APSEZ, John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority under a 35-year build-operate-transfer concession. The project has generated more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the company.

The expansion follows a string of operational records: CWIT crossed 2 million TEUs within its first 18 months of operations, building on its earlier milestone as the fastest terminal at the Port of Colombo to handle 1 million TEUs in its inaugural year in 2024.

“Doubling CWIT’s capacity to 3.2 million TEUs with a $750 million investment is a direct statement of confidence from APSEZ and from the global shipping lines,” said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-Time Director and CEO of APSEZ. John Keells Group chairperson Krishan Balendra said the expansion could further strengthen Colombo’s role as a regional transhipment hub.

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