SRI LANKA —Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), in partnership with John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, has commissioned the USD 750 million Phase II expansion of the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT). The facility's annual capacity has doubled from 1.6 million to 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), enabling the deep-water facility to berth three ultra-large container vessels simultaneously. CWIT functions as Sri Lanka's first fully automated container terminal, featuring fully electrified, zero-emission operations.
This capacity expansion enhances the Port of Colombo’s operational efficiency and consolidates its status as a primary transshipment node along major maritime trade corridors in the Indian Ocean. With the terminal handling 2 million TEUs within its first 18 months of operation, the expanded infrastructure directly addresses rising maritime traffic demands, reduces vessel turn-around times, and mitigates congestion across South Asian maritime supply routes.
The expansion significantly impacts global shipping lines, freight forwarders and regional import-export supply chains. By increasing deep-water berth availability and automated container handling capacity, the terminal enhances ocean freight reliability between Asian manufacturing centers, Europe, and the Middle East. Furthermore, the overall development project has generated over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs, supporting local employment and maritime services infrastructure in Sri Lanka.
For institutional investors and logistics operators, this development reflects the growing strategic focus on automated, sustainable port infrastructure in high-density shipping lanes. The investment strengthens APSEZ's international terminal footprint, positioning the Port of Colombo to target an overall throughput of 13 million TEUs by 2028 while reinforcing regional supply chain resilience.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone is India's largest commercial port operator and integrated logistics provider, operating a network of 16 domestic ports and terminals along with four international facilities across Australia, Sri Lanka, Israel, and Tanzania. Sri Lanka Ports Authority is the state-owned enterprise responsible for the governance, development, and operation of commercial ports throughout Sri Lanka. John Keells Holdings is one of Sri Lanka's largest publicly listed conglomerates, maintaining diversified business interests in transportation, leisure, property, and consumer goods.
