APSEZ's Colombo West International Terminal Doubles Capacity to 3.2 Million TEUs with USD 750 Million Investment - Oneindia

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya today inaugurated the USD 750 million Phase II expansion of Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ). The expansion doubles the terminals capacity from 1.6 million to 3.2 million TEUs. It supports CWITs ambition to handle nearly 25 percent of the Port of Colombos targeted 13 million TEU capacity by 2028.CWIT was the fastest terminal to handle 1 million TEUs within its inaugural year in 2024. It has now handled 2 million TEUs within its first 18 months of operation, another first in the history of the Port of Colombo.With the added capacity, the terminal can berth three ultra-large container vessels simultaneously. This strengthens Colombos position as a critical transshipment hub on the East-West trade route.A milestone for our nations economic futureSpeaking at the inauguration, Prime Minister Amarasuriya said the terminals success shows what Sri Lanka can achieve when bold vision, trusted partnerships and modern infrastructure come together.Reaching 2 million TEUs in record time and commencing Phase II today is not just a milestone for the Port of Colombo, but a milestone for our nations economic future, she said. She added that investments such as CWIT are creating jobs, attracting international commerce, enhancing competitiveness and reinforcing Sri Lankas ambition to become the leading maritime and logistics hub of the Indian Ocean.Ashwani Gupta, Whole-Time Director and CEO of APSEZ, described the expansion as a direct statement of confidence from APSEZ and from global shipping lines. He said Phase II is a landmark for the companys international portfolio and sharpens its position across the Indian Oceans key trade corridors.With expanded capacity, full automation and deep-water infrastructure, CWIT is built to be Colombos premier transshipment gateway and contribute to EXIM cargo in Sri Lanka, Gupta said.Krishan Balendra, Chairperson of John Keells Group, called the 2 million TEU mark in just 18 months a strong reflection of what the partnership has achieved. He said the expansion offers an even greater opportunity to strengthen Colombo as a key transshipment hub and to support Sri Lankas growth as an important centre for trade in the region. We are pleased to be part of this journey alongside APSEZ and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, he added.Sri Lankas first fully automated deep-water terminalCWIT is Sri Lankas first fully automated deep-water container terminal. It is developed by APSEZ, John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority under a 35-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession, and has generated over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs.The terminal is built to serve the worlds largest container vessels through fully electrified operations with zero tailpipe emissions. It has also recorded 17 million safe working hours.About APSEZAPSEZ is part of the globally diversified Adani Group and is a leading Integrated Transport Operator. Its shore-to-door capability covers port handling, rail transport, multi-modal logistics parks, warehousing and final delivery by road, backed by digital infrastructure and AI-driven optimisation.The company operates 16 ports and terminals across Indias west, south and east coasts, along with a marine fleet of 136 vessels. Its logistics network includes 12 multi-modal logistics parks, 3.1 million sq. ft. of warehouses and over 25,000 trucks on its proprietary platform. APSEZ also operates four international ports, in Australia, Colombo, Israel and Tanzania.With a cargo handling capacity of 653 million tonnes per annum, APSEZ handles approximately 27 percent of Indias total port volumes and targets 1 billion tonnes of throughput by 2030. In the 2025 S P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, it was ranked in the top 5 percent of global transportation and transportation infrastructure firms (95th percentile). Five of its ports also feature in the World Banks Container Port Performance Index 2024.