CWIT scales up with region’s tallest cranes

Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) has received two ship-to-shore electric cranes and seven cantilever rail-mounted gantry cranes, marking the start of the second phase of its capacity expansion programme as it seeks to strengthen the Port of Colombo’s position as a regional transshipment hub. 

The terminal said the newly arrived cranes are the tallest in the region and form part of a broader investment aimed at improving cargo handling efficiency, increasing capacity and supporting more sustainable port operations through electrified equipment. 

The latest expansion follows CWIT’s first full year of operations, during which the terminal handled one million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), becoming the fastest terminal at the Port of Colombo to reach that milestone within its inaugural year. 

CWIT, a public-private partnership involving Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, John Keells Holdings PLC and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, has been developed with an investment of about US $ 800 million. 

The fully-automated deep-water terminal currently features a 1,400-metre quay, a water depth of 20 metres and is designed to handle approximately 3.2 million TEUs annually upon completion. The facility is capable of accommodating three of the world’s largest container vessels simultaneously. 

Chief Executive Officer Munish Kanwar said the arrival of the new cranes represented a key milestone in the terminal’s Phase 2 development programme and reflected its continued investment in advanced technology to support faster and more sustainable cargo handling operations. 

CWIT said a further four ship-to-shore cranes and five gantry cranes are expected to arrive by end-September. Once delivered, the terminal’s fleet will expand to 14 ship-to-shore cranes and 30 gantry cranes, significantly increasing its cargo handling capacity. 

The company said the investment would enhance the Port of Colombo’s competitiveness, strengthen regional trade connectivity and support Sri Lanka’s ambition of becoming a leading maritime and logistics hub in the Indian Ocean.