• The first fully automated terminal in Colombo Port is now operational, setting new standards in reliability and performance.
• The Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) will significantly enhance Colombo Port’s capacity and ease congestion, boosting overall efficiency.
• The CWIT project is expected to generate employment and contribute meaningfully to Sri Lanka’s GDP, driving long-term economic development.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ), India’s largest integrated transport utility, has announced the commencement of operations at the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), located at the Port of Colombo.
Developed under a landmark public–private partnership, CWIT is operated by a consortium comprising India’s largest port operator Adani Ports & SEZ Ltd, leading Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings PLC, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, under a 35-year Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) agreement.
The CWIT project represents a significant investment of USD 800 million and features a 1,400-metre quay length and 20-metre depth, enabling the terminal to handle approximately 3.2 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually. It is the first deep-water terminal in Colombo to be fully automated, designed to enhance cargo handling capabilities, improve vessel turnaround times and elevate the port’s status as a key transshipment hub in South Asia.
Construction began in early 2022 and has since achieved rapid progress. With the installation of cutting-edge infrastructure now nearing completion, CWIT is poised to set new benchmarks in operational efficiency and reliability in regional maritime logistics.
“The commencement of operations at CWIT marks a momentous milestone in regional cooperation between India and Sri Lanka,” said Mr Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group. “Not only does this terminal represent the future of trade in the Indian Ocean but its opening is also a proud moment for Sri Lanka, placing it firmly on the global maritime map. The CWIT project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs locally and unlock immense economic value for the island nation. It also stands as a shining example of the deep-rooted friendship and growing strategic ties between the two neighbours, and of what can be achieved through visionary public–private partnerships. Delivering this world-class facility in record time also reflects the Adani Group’s proven ability to efficiently execute large-scale critical infrastructure projects anywhere in the world.”
“We are proud to see the progress in the development of the West Container Terminal, a project that strengthens Sri Lanka’s position as a regional maritime hub,” said Mr. Krishan Balendra, Chairperson, John Keells Group. “This project is one of the John Keells Group’s largest investments and is among the most significant private-sector investments in Sri Lanka. Together with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Adani Group, we will elevate Colombo’s status as a leading transshipment hub. We are confident that the project will enhance global trade and connectivity in the region.”
About Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd
About Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), a part of the globally diversified Adani Group, has evolved from a port company to an Integrated Transport Utility providing end to-end solutions from its port gate to customer gate. It is the largest port developer and operator in India with 7 strategically located ports and terminals on the west coast (Mundra, Tuna Tekra & Berth 13 in Kandla, Dahej, and Hazira in Gujarat, Mormugao in Goa, Dighi in Maharashtra and Vizhinjam in Kerala) and 8 ports and terminals on the East coast (Haldia in West Bengal, Dhamra and Gopalpur in Odisha, Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Kattupalli and Ennore in Tamil Nadu and Karaikal in Puducherry), representing 27% of the country’s total port volumes, thus providing capabilities to handle vast amounts of cargo from both coastal areas and the hinterland. The company is also developing a transshipment port at Colombo, Sri Lanka and operates the Haifa Port in Israel and Container Terminal 2 at Dar Es Salaam Port, Tanzania. The Ports to Logistics Platform comprising port facilities, integrated logistics capabilities, including multimodal logistics parks, Grade A warehouses, and industrial economic zones, puts it in an advantageous position as India stands to benefit from an impending overhaul in global supply chains. The company’s vision is to be the largest ports and logistics platform in the world in the next decade.
John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH)
John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), is the largest conglomerate listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange, operating with over 80+ companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 155 years, John Keells Group provides employment to over 16,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka’s ‘Most Respected Entity’ for 19 Years by LMD magazine. John Keells Holdings PLC was ranked first for the fourth consecutive year in the ‘Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment’ by Transparency International Sri Lanka. Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of “Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow” through John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.