Hambantota International Port (HIP) in Sri Lanka has surpassed one million TEUs in cumulative container throughput since commissioning new quay cranes in 2025, marking a significant step in the expansion of its container-handling business.
The port handled 428,036 TEUs in 2025 and a further 574,196 TEUs in 2026 up to early October, bringing the combined total to 1,002,232 TEUs. The milestone reflects rising container volumes and growing confidence among shipping lines in the port’s operational capabilities.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), HIP’s principal container customer, has played a key role in driving the growth. In April 2026, the vessel MSC Marie Leslie set a single-call handling record at the port, recording 7,968 container moves, equivalent to 13,260 TEUs. HIP also achieved its highest monthly container throughput in June, handling 80,325 TEUs.
To accommodate future demand, the port is advancing a US$108 million container-handling equipment investment programme. The project includes six new quay cranes and 16 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, with commissioning expected by the end of February 2027.
The expansion will increase ship-to-shore and yard-handling capacity, improve vessel turnaround times and allow the use of an additional 1,300 metres of berth space. Once completed, the port’s total container quay length is expected to reach nearly two kilometres, while container yard capacity will expand by 30%. Reefer facilities will also be upgraded to support temperature-sensitive cargo.
HIP is targeting annual container-handling capacity of two million TEUs as it develops its position in regional and international shipping networks.
The milestone highlights Hambantota’s growing role in Indian Ocean logistics, supported by investment in terminal equipment, infrastructure and shipping-line partnerships. The planned upgrades are intended to provide the capacity needed to handle larger vessels and sustain future container growth.