Transshipment volumes at the Port of Colombo dropped in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
For the three months ending in March 2025 (1Q25), volumes fell by 6.3% year-on-year (YoY), totaling 1.53 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), down from 1.64 million TEUs in 1Q24. This decline contrasts with the growth seen in 2024, when the port benefited from diversions due to disruptions in the Red Sea.
Several mainline shipping lines withdrew services from Colombo earlier this year, citing congestion, and those services have not yet returned. However, in March, transshipment volumes showed a smaller YoY decline of 3.3%, compared to February’s steeper drop. Despite this, the overall trend showed a decline in transshipment volumes across all three months of 2025.
Transshipment’s share of the port’s total container throughput also decreased, accounting for 79% in 1Q25, down from 82% in 1Q24. The Port of Colombo handled a total container throughput of 1.94 million TEUs in 1Q25, reflecting a 3.6% YoY decrease from the 2 million TEUs processed in 1Q24.
Looking at individual terminal performance, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA)-operated Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), Unity Container Terminal (UCT), and East Container Terminal (ECT) collectively processed 620,229 TEUs, marking a 5% YoY decline. Meanwhile, the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) handled 807,557 TEUs, reflecting a 9.6% YoY drop. In contrast, the South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) saw a 9.2% YoY increase, processing 504,790 TEUs.
The newly operational West Container Terminal (WCT), operated by Adani-JKH, handled 3,552 TEUs in 1Q25, as it began its operations in late March 2025.
Ship arrivals at the port showed a slight decrease, with total vessel arrivals down by 2.9% YoY to 998 ships. The number of container ship arrivals dropped by 3.9% YoY during the quarter.
Analysts point to uncertainties in the shipping sector, citing the impact of tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and ongoing disruptions such as the U.S.-China trade war, which may be affecting volumes at terminals like CICT.
