Adani Ports began its operations at the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), a large installation of deep water developed as part of a public-private public partnership at the Port of Colombo.
The project is exploited by a consortium which includes the ports of Adani, the first conglomerate of Sri Lanka John Keells Holdings PLC and Sri Lanka Ports Authority, under a construction, exploitation and transfer agreement (BOT). Representing an investment of 800 million dollars, the CWIT terminal has a quay length of 1,400 meters and a depth of 20 meters, with the capacity to manage approximately 3.2 million equivalent units of twenty feet per year.
CWIT is the first fully automated deep water terminal in Colombo and is designed to improve goods handling capacities, improve ship’s derogation times and position Colombo as a key transhipment center in South Asia.
Construction began at the beginning of 2022, with rapid progress leading to the start of operations this month. The final infrastructure facilities are almost completed and the installation should define new references for operational efficiency and the reliability of regional maritime logistics.
“The start of operations in Cwit marks an important stage in regional cooperation between India and Sri Lanka,” said Gautam Adani, president of the Adani group. “Not only does this terminal represent the future of trade in the Indian Ocean, but its opening is also a moment of pride for Sri Lanka, placing it on the global sea map.”
Adani said the CWIT project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs locally and would unlock immense economic value for the island nation. “This is also a brilliant example of deeply rooted friendship and growing strategic links between the two neighbors, and what can be achieved thanks to public-private visionary partnerships,” he added.
The president of the group John Keells, Krishan Balendra, added: “We are proud to see the progress in the development of the western container terminal, a project that strengthens the position of Sri Lanka as a regional maritime center. This project is one of John Keells’ investments and is among the most important investments in Sri Lanka. Colombo status as a leading transhipment center.
