The Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), Sri Lanka’s first fully automated container terminal, has handled its one-millionth TEU, just over a year after receiving its first commercial vessel in February 2025.
“Achieving one million TEUs in such a short span is a remarkable accomplishment — the fastest ever recorded by a terminal at the Port of Colombo,” CWIT said. The terminal is a joint venture between Adani International Port Holdings, John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
The facility is equipped with eight automated STS cranes and 18 automated RMGs supplied by ZPMC, while horizontal transport is carried out by 62 internal transfer vehicles from Sany. Crane automation technology was supplied by ABB. A total of US$ 800m was invested in the terminal, which features a 1,400m quay and a depth of 20m. The terminal’s annual cargo handling capacity is expected to exceed 3.2m TEU.
The rapid build-up in volumes at CWIT reflects strong underlying demand for additional capacity at the Port of Colombo, a major transhipment hub that had not seen a significant terminal addition since 2014.
Transhipment accounts for more than 80% of Colombo’s container traffic, with throughput rising from 6.86m TEU in 2022 to 8.29m TEU in 2025, underscoring the pressure on existing infrastructure. CWIT handled 153,000 TEU between February and July 2025, closely tracking the port’s overall throughput of around 160,000 TEU over the same period, highlighting how new capacity has been quickly absorbed. Shipping lines including CMA CGM, Evergreen Marine Corporation, ONE, as well as Gemini Cooperation partners Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, are among the carriers calling at CWIT.
The terminal said automation has also helped attract younger talent, with women accounting for around 25% of control centre staff. It added that further efficiency gains are expected, particularly in internal container transfers, a key feature of Colombo’s operations where boxes frequently move between terminals for onward shipment.
However, integrating external truck flows remains a challenge for automated systems, as non-standardised vehicles require manual intervention from the control centre. CWIT said it is working with ABB to develop automated chassis recognition, aimed at reducing reliance on control centre input.
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