Colombo Port has been ranked the fastest growing container port out of the world’s 30 largest ports by throughput in 1H 2018, informs Lanka Business Online quoting the latest Alphaliner Monthly Monitor. The Port of Colombo recorded a 15.6% growth by handling 3,415,298 TEU in the first half of 2018, as compared to the same period of 2017.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority said in a statement that this is a significant achievement as it is the first time in history the Port of Colombo reaches the top of a global maritime ranking.

With this growth rate, Port of Colombo has overtaken many other Asian ports, major European ports and Dubai as well. Thus, on the second position we see Singapore (+11.6%, 18,021,268 TEU) and on the third place there is Guangzhou with a 8.6% rise (10,543,400 TEU). Antwerp, Belgium, showed a growth of 8.3% (5,567,905 TEU), ranking as #4 and Xiamen, China, ranked at #5 with a growth of 7.6% (5,165,600 TEU). The world’s leading port of Shanghai handled 20,506,800 TEU in the reported period, which marked a 4.6% rise.

However, we would like to clarify that the ranking includes only the top 30 container ports of the world, whose 6 months throughput exceeds 3 mln TEU. Therefore, it does not mention Barcelona, the fastest growing European port, with its tremendous leap of 18% in January-June 2018, just because its volume of 1.6 mln TEU does not let it be included in the top list. 

The Port of Colombo consists of three container facilities: Jaya Container Terminal of the government’s Sri Lanka Ports Authority; South Asia Gateway Terminal operated by John Keells Holdings, Sri Lanka’s largest conglomerate uniting 70 companies in 7 industry sectors; and Colombo International Container Terminal run by China Merchants Port Holdings. Recently, the three terminals have signed a deal to join their forces to promote the port. According to the agreement, waiting time for all containerships arriving at Colombo will be minimized by allowing them to be docked at the earliest available terminal.

According to Q4 2017 Drewry Port Connectivity Index the Colombo Port was ranked as the 13th best Connectivity Port in the world and the top best connectivity port in South Asia.