Total container handling in 2015 increased by 5.7 per cent to 5.2 million twenty foot equivalent container units (TEUs) from 4.9 million TEUs in 2014. Transshipment container handling also increased by 4.9 per cent during the year. Total container handling of the CICT grew substantially by 127.5 per cent during the year, in sharp contrast to the negative growth of container handling at other terminals. Transshipment container handling also increased by 4.9 per cent during the year. Total container handling of the CICT grew substantially by 127.5 per cent during the year. the CICT handles mega container vessels.

Total cargo handling at Ports of Colombo, Trincomalee, Galle and Hambantota amounted to 77.6 million MT, recording a lower growth of 4.3 per cent, in comparison to the growth of 12.3 per cent recorded in the previous year. Break Bulk cargo handling increased by 53.7 per cent, due to the increased imports of fertiliser and iron/steel at both Colombo and Hambantota Ports.

Meanwhile, total vehicle handling at the ports of Hambantota and Colombo increased by 17.1 per cent, driven by the significant growth in domestic vehicle handling by 138.0 per cent, while vehicle transshipments, which are handled only at the Hambantota Port, recorded a negative growth of 27.6 per cent.

A)   Colombo Port :-

The Port of Colombo, located in the South-West corner of the island is rated amongst the Top Container ports in the world. Colombo Port is a rapidly growing maritime hub of the South Asia Region. Cargo originating from and destined to Europe, East and South Asia, the Persian Gulf, and East Africa is conveniently and efficiently connected through the Colombo Port.

The Colombo Port is primarily a container port. In 2015, it handled about 5.1 million TEU of containerized cargo.

The original port had a harbour area of 184 hectares. In 2008, the South Harbour area (285 hectares) was developed to accommodate deep water berths and the latest generation of mainline vessels. The harbour is served by a two-way channel with an initial depth of 20m and a width of 570m. Today the Port of Colombo is rated among the top 30 container ports in the world.

·         Current Facility

The overall performance of the Port of Colombo in terms of total ship arrivals in 2015 indicated an increase of 12.2 per cent, with container ship arrivals and conventional cargo ship arrivals increasing by 12.5 per cent and 60.7 per cent, respectively.