Sri Lanka’s China-backed Hambantota Port eyes 2mn box capacity after 700-pct growth
Sunday January 11, 2026 8:33 pm
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s China-backed Hambantota Port said its container handling volumes went up 705 percent to 428,036 twenty foot equivalent units in 2025, and it was planning to boost capacity to two million TEUs.
Hambantota International Port Group, a joint venture between Sri Lanka Port Authority and China’s CM Ports group broke into the container business in 2023 handling only 44 boxes and installed more equipment last year to boost capacity to a million TEUs.
“Scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, the second phase will increase the port’s annual container handling capacity to approximately 2 million TEUs” HIPG said in a statement.
“This will be achieved by allocating four dedicated container berths and adding additional equipment, including six quay cranes (QCs) and sixteen rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTCs).”
In 2024, the port spent 41 million dollars on 4 new quay cranes and 13 rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), adding to the existing 2 quay cranes and 3 RTGs.
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The containers had carried 5.43 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, up from 657,504 tonnes in 2024 which the port said showed its “rapid emergence as a significant container gateway within a single year.”
Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port was targeting 8.2 million in 2025 with Red Sea disruptions boosting volume and a new terminal by India’s Adani and John Keells group adding to volumes.
Bulk and break bulk volumes at Hambantota had increased 32 percent to 1.18 million metric tonnes.
“2025 was not an easy year to be a port,” Wilson Qu, Chief Executive Officer of Hambantota International Port Group said in a statement.
“What makes this performance remarkable is not just the scale of growth, but that it was achieved amid sustained global disruption.
“These volumes reflect customer confidence, operational flexibility, aggressive marketing strategies in Sri Lanka and internationally, as well as the commitment of our team.”
Oil and gas volumes were broadly stable at 661,131 metric tonnes, reflecting softer global energy market conditions, the port said.
Roll on roll off vehicle volumes grew 25 percent to 726,153 vehicles in 2025 from 726,153.
Hambantota port is targeting regional vehicle transshipment. In 2025 Sri Lanka also re-opened vehicle imports.
Sri Lanka banned vehicle imports in 2020 after macro-economics cut rates with inflationary open market operations to boost potential output.
HIP said it handled 8.24 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2025, up 175 percent from 3.0 million metric tonnes in 2024, with growth across container, RORO, and bulk cargo segments. (Colombo/Jan11/2026)
Sri Lanka's China-backed Hambantota Port said its container handling volumes went up 705 percent to 428,036 twenty foot equivalent units in 2025, and it was planning to boost capacity to two million TEUs.
economynext.com
