Colombo Port container volumes surge in July

• Driven by strong transshipment growth
• Total container throughput for July reached 721,661 TEUs
• Transshipment sector saw 18.4% YoY jump to 579,293 TEUs 
• Port experienced healthy growth in local trade volumes, with import containers increasing by 10% YoY to 57,669 TEUs
• Ship arrivals increased, with total vessels up by 8.3% and container ship arrivals growing by 6.9% YoY for month

By Nishel Fernando

The Port of Colombo reported a significant surge in container handling in July 2025, marking a strong rebound with a double-digit growth, driven by a robust recovery in transshipment volumes. 
This performance signals a positive turn for the port’s mid-year activities.

The total container throughput for July reached 721,661 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a substantial 17.2 percent increase, compared to the 615,727 TEUs handled in the same month last year. The monthly performance positively impacted the cumulative figures for the year, which now stand at 4,693,714 TEUs, reflecting a 4.2 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth for the first seven months of 2025.

The primary driver of this growth was the transshipment sector, which saw an 18.4 percent YoY jump to 579,293 TEUs in July. Consequently, the contribution of transshipment to the port’s total volume increased to 80 percent, up from 79 percent in July 2024. The year-to-date transshipment volumes are now up by 2.1 percent.

The port experienced a healthy growth in local trade volumes, with the import containers increasing by 10.1 percent YoY to 57,669 TEUs and the export containers rising by 13.7 percent YoY to 58,469 TEUs.

All major terminals contributed to the month’s positive results. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority-managed JCT, UCT and ECT terminals handled 203,499 TEUs, a 13.3 percent YoY increase. SAGT recorded a 9.8 percent rise, with 181,094 TEUs, while CICT grew by 2.1 percent to 276,751 TEUs. Notably, the new CWIT terminal handled 60,317 TEUs, contributing significantly to the overall growth.

Reflecting the increased container traffic, the total cargo handled at the port in July surged by 15.7 percent YoY to 9.9 million tonnes. Ship arrivals also increased, with total vessels up by 8.3 percent and container ship arrivals growing by 6.9 percent YoY for the month.