Adani Ports’ Colombo terminal begins ops

Billionaire Gautam Adani’s firm Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) on Monday said it had commenced operations at Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) in Sri Lanka.

APSEZ, in a statement, said, developed under a public-private partnership, the CWIT was operated by a consortium — comprising India’s largest port operator APSEZ, leading Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings PLC and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority — under a 35-year build, operate and transfer (BOT) agreement.

According to the statement, the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) project represents a significant investment of $800 million, and features a 1,400-m quay length and 20-m depth, enabling the terminal to handle approximately 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually.

It is the first deep-water terminal in Colombo to be fully automated, designed to enhance cargo handling capabilities, improve vessel turnaround times and elevate the port’s status as a key transhipment hub in South Asia, the statement added.

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said the commencement of operations at CWIT marked a momentous milestone in regional cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

“Not only does this terminal represent the future of trade in the Indian Ocean but its opening is also a proud moment for Sri Lanka, placing it firmly on the global maritime map,” Adani said. The CWIT project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs locally and unlock immense economic value for the island nation, he added.