Port of Colombo
Expansion
Expansion
---------

In 2008, the port commenced a large\-scale expansion project at a cost of [US$](/wiki/United_States_Dollar "United States Dollar")1\.2 billion, which is expected to dramatically increase the port's capacity and capabilities. The project, which was headed by the [Sri Lanka Ports Authority](/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Ports_Authority "Sri Lanka Ports Authority") and built by the [Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company](/wiki/Hyundai_Engineering_and_Construction "Hyundai Engineering and Construction"), was completed by 11 April 2012\.

The expansion project consisted of four new terminals that are  in length and can accommodate three berths each, alongside a depth of  (which can be deepened to ). The channel width of the harbour is to be  and depth of , with harbour basin depth of  and a  turning circle. It increases the annual container handling capacity from four million [TEUs](/wiki/Twenty-foot_equivalent_unit "Twenty-foot equivalent unit") to approximately twelve million TEUs. It is also able to accommodate larger container vessels, carrying around 22,000 TEUs.

The first terminal was awarded to the [China Merchants Holdings (International)](/wiki/China_Merchants_Holdings_%28International%29 "China Merchants Holdings (International)") \- [Aitken Spence](/wiki/Aitken_Spence "Aitken Spence") consortium on 16 September 2010\.[Sri Lanka Aitken Spence\-China Merchant consortium gets terminal deal](http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=6667459)  LBO, 2010\-09\-16 The new terminal is planned to be operational by first quarter 2013\.[New Colombo port terminal on stream soon](http://www.sundaytimes.lk/100919/BusinessTimes/bt02.html)  Sunday Times, 2010\-09\-19

### Colombo South Container Terminal CICT

The 2\.4 million TEU capacity Colombo South Container Terminal, the first terminal under new expansion in the Port of Colombo is built by [Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd., (CICT)](https://www.facebook.com/ColomboInternationalContainerTerminals?ref=hl), a joint venture company between China Merchants Holdings (International) Co., Ltd. (CMHI) and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). It is developing the new port under a 35\-year build, operate, and transfer agreement with the SLPA.

Commenced construction in December 2011, the first "pace" was ceremonially opened for traffic on 8 August 2013, making the Colombo Port complex one of the biggest in the world.

The total length of the new breakwater is , with a berth depth of .

### Colombo West Container Terminal WCT

In 2021, [Adani Ports \& SEZ](/wiki/Adani_Ports_%26_SEZ "Adani Ports & SEZ") together with local partners John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Port Authority signed a $700 million 35\-year build\-operate\-transfer (BOT) agreement for West Container Terminal. In 2023 [U.S. International Development Finance Corporation](/wiki/U.S._International_Development_Finance_Corporation "U.S. International Development Finance Corporation") provided $553m in funding for the Adani\-led project. West Container Terminal WCT is expected to become operational in 2025\.


Can the port expand further in the future to meet growing demand?