Colombo Port Transshipment Volumes Jump 15% in Strong Opening Act

The Port of Colombo kicked off 2026 with a commanding performance, as transshipment volumes grew by 14.9% in January, reaching 604,173 TEUs. This surge highlights Colombo’s role as a vital relay hub during global maritime disruptions. Overall container throughput hit 754,730 TEUs, even as vessel arrivals dipped slightly, indicating that shipping lines are deploying larger vessels to maximize the port’s deep-water infrastructure.

A standout performer was the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), which handled over 130,000 TEUs, proving its strategic value in absorbing the new volume. This expansion is essential as regional competition from ports like Vizhinjam intensifies. For the warehousing sector, this high volume of transshipment activity often leads to “spill-over” demand for intermediate storage and multi-country consolidation services.

Source:Daily Mirror – Colombo Port starts 2026 strong as transshipment surges 15%