Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) has doubled the capacity of its Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) in Sri Lanka to 3.2 million TEUs following a $750 million investment in the Phase II expansion.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya inaugurated the expanded facility in Colombo on October 1. The expansion increases CWIT’s annual container-handling capacity from 1.6 million TEUs to 3.2 million TEUs and strengthens the terminal’s role in Colombo’s transshipment operations.
The expanded terminal is targeting nearly 25 per cent of the Port of Colombo’s overall capacity target of 13 million TEUs by 2028. The additional capacity will also allow CWIT to berth three ultra-large container vessels simultaneously.
CWIT has recorded rapid growth since beginning operations. The terminal handled 1 million TEUs during its inaugural year in 2024 and subsequently crossed the 2 million TEU mark within its first 18 months of operations, a milestone described as significant in the history of the Port of Colombo.
The terminal is Sri Lanka’s first fully automated deep-water container terminal. Its infrastructure includes a 1,400-metre quay and a 20-metre depth, enabling it to handle large container vessels and support transshipment operations along the East-West trade route.
The CWIT project is being developed under a 35-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession involving APSEZ, John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. APSEZ holds a 51 per cent stake in the terminal, while John Keells Holdings holds 34 per cent and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority owns the remaining 15 per cent.
The expansion is designed to strengthen Colombo’s position as a major transshipment hub in the Indian Ocean. The terminal is positioned to handle both transshipment and export-import cargo, providing additional capacity as container traffic through the port grows.
APSEZ Whole-Time Director and CEO Ashwani Gupta said the $750 million investment and the doubling of CWIT’s capacity to 3.2 million TEUs reflect the company’s confidence in the terminal and the wider Indian Ocean trade corridors. He said the expanded facility, combined with its automation and deep-water infrastructure, is intended to strengthen CWIT’s role as a transshipment gateway and support Sri Lanka’s EXIM cargo.
The terminal’s development is also expected to contribute to employment and the wider maritime and logistics ecosystem in Sri Lanka. According to APSEZ, the project has generated more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs.
CWIT is part of APSEZ’s international port portfolio and adds to its operations across India and overseas markets. The company currently operates ports and terminals in India as well as international facilities in Australia, Colombo, Israel and Tanzania. APSEZ has a cargo-handling capacity of 653 million tonnes per annum and has set a target of reaching 1 billion tonnes of throughput by 2030.
The Phase II expansion further increases the scale of CWIT’s operations at the Port of Colombo and provides additional capacity for larger vessels and growing regional transshipment demand. The project also deepens the partnership between APSEZ, John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority under the 35-year BOT framework.
