In 2024, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) achieved a milestone, recording its highest-ever throughput of 2.41 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), despite facing competition.
The Port of Colombo, in collaboration with other terminals, also reached a historic milestone, with a total throughput of 7,782,776 TEUs, solidifying its status as a major maritime hub in the Indian Ocean and a key contributor to regional trade and economic growth.
Among the terminals at the Port of Colombo, South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) handled 2,018,739 TEUs, while the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) emerged as the leader with 3,351,025 TEUs, thanks to its state-of-the-art deep-water facilities.
This exceptional throughput comes at a time when significant infrastructure developments are underway to further enhance the port’s capacity. The Colombo East Container Terminal (CECT), which is currently operating on a partial basis, has already increased the port’s handling capabilities, and is expected to become fully operational later this year, providing a major boost to efficiency.
In addition, the newly constructed Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) is set to begin the first phase of operations within the same period, further augmenting the port’s capacity to meet growing demand.
To remind, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia also broke a record in 2024, handling over 12.25 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in a single year.
