– The Port of Colombo has climbed to 20th place among the world’s major container ports after recording an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase in container handling during the first half of 2026, according to the latest Alphaliner figures.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said the port handled 4,444,034 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during the first six months of this year, compared with 3,972,053 TEUs during the corresponding period in 2025.This represents an increase of 471,981 TEUs, or 11.9 per cent.The latest performance has moved the Port of Colombo up from 26th place globally at the end of 2025 to 20th place in the first half of 2026, marking one of the most significant upward movements among major container ports worldwide.The SLPA said the growth follows a record year in 2025, when the Port of Colombo handled approximately 8.3 million TEUs.The sustained growth further strengthens Colombo’s position as a major transshipment hub in the Indian Ocean, the SLPA said.Transshipment accounts for the overwhelming majority of Colombo’s container throughput, with the port serving as a key link between international mainline and feeder networks connecting East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.