The Port of Colombo reported a sharp increase in container handling in August 2025, driven primarily by a surge in transshipment activity and the contribution of the newly operational Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT).
Total container throughput reached 741,124 TEUs, marking a 16.8% rise compared to 634,554 TEUs in August 2024. This strong monthly result boosted cumulative volumes for January–August 2025 to 5,434,838 TEUs, reflecting a 5.7% year-on-year (YoY) increase.
Transshipment Leads Growth
Transshipment remained the key growth engine, jumping 16.1% YoY in August to 592,413 TEUs. Year-to-date, transshipment volumes are up 3.8%.
Local trade also showed positive trends:
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Import containers: 57,604 TEUs (+0.6% YoY)
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Export containers: 56,011 TEUs (+5.9% YoY)
Terminal Performance
All major terminals contributed to the growth in transshipment volumes:
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SLPA’s JCT, UCT & ECT: 206,655 TEUs (+9.5% YoY)
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SAGT: 168,754 TEUs (+0.8% YoY)
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CLCT: 263,465 TEUs (-5.4% YoY)
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CWIT (Adani-JKH): 102,250 TEUs (newly added capacity)
CWIT’s rapid ramp-up has been a significant factor in the port’s positive trajectory.
Mixed Cargo and Vessel Trends
Despite the growth in container volumes, total cargo tonnage declined by 16.2% YoY to 9.67 million tonnes in August.
However, overall vessel traffic increased:
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Total ship arrivals: +7.7% YoY
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Container ship arrivals: +9.0% YoY
Outlook
With strong transshipment demand and the addition of new terminal capacity, the Port of Colombo continues to build momentum as a major regional hub. The August performance underscores sustained recovery and expanding operational capability heading into the final quarter of 2025.
