2.1.1 Sri Lanka Port of Colombo
MAP
Port Overview
Port of Colombo is the largest and the busiest port in Sri Lanka which is located in Colombo. It is a continuously growing maritime hub which is located in a strategic position in the Indian ocean thus lies in the routes connecting Europe, East and South Asia, the Persian Gulf, and East Africa. Port of Colombo is primarily a container handling port which underwent a modernizing process in 1980. It consists of 5 terminals operated by 3 companies.
Port website: Sri Lanka Port Authority Website
Key port information can also be found at: Maritime Database information on Port of Colombo
Port Location and Contact |
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---|---|---|
Country |
Sri Lanka |
|
Province or District |
Colombo |
|
Nearest Town or City with Distance from Port |
Colombo (5km) |
|
Port's Complete Name |
Port of Colombo |
|
Latitude |
6.939561 |
|
Longitude |
79.846080 |
|
Managing Company or Port Authority |
Sri Lanka Ports Authority |
|
South Asia Gateway Terminal (Pvt) Ltd |
South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) |
|
Colombo International Container Terminals (LTD) |
Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) |
|
Management Contact Person |
General (Retd) R. M. Daya Ratnayake, Email: chairman@slpa.lk |
|
Nearest Airport and Airlines with Frequent International Arrivals/Departures |
Airport: Bandaranaike International Airport Airlines: Sri Lankan Airlines |
Port Picture
Description and Contacts of Key Companies
The terminal operating companies at the port of Colombo are Sri Lanka ports Authority, South Asian Gateway Terminal (Pvt) Ltd and Colombo International Container Terminal (Pvt) Ltd. These companies provide facilities like providing infrastructure for loading and unloading, navigating, and storage in order for clearance. Sri Lanka customs office provide services of screening and adding taxes. Other than that, there is the Sri Lanka Navy to provide security, and Premier shipping (Pvt) Ltd to provide stevedoring services.
For more information on port contacts, please see the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List.
Port Performance
Seasonal Constraints |
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---|---|---|
Occurs |
Time Frame |
|
Rainy Season |
n/a |
n/a |
Major Import Campaigns |
n/a |
n/a |
Other Comments |
n/a |
Handling Figures for 2018 |
|
---|---|
Vessel Calls |
4,331 |
Container Traffic (TEUs) |
7,047,486 (+13.5%) |
Handling Figures Bulk and Break Bulk for 2016 |
|
---|---|
Bulk (MT) |
2,572,000 |
Break bulk (MT) |
879,000 |
Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges
For information on port rates and charges, please see the following link: https://www.slpa.lk/application_resources/other/Tariff_2019.pdf
Berthing Specifications
Jaya Container Terminal
Type of Berth |
Quantity |
Length (m) |
Maximum Draft (m) |
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Conventional Berth |
No |
|
||
Container Berth |
4 |
1, 292 m |
12-15 m |
|
Silo Berth |
no |
|
||
Berthing Tugs |
7+3 |
n/a |
n/a |
3 berths operated by private parties. |
Water Barges |
2 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Unity Container Terminal
Type of Berth |
Quantity |
Length (m) |
Maximum Draft (m) |
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Conventional Berth |
n/a |
|
||
Container Berth |
2 |
1,292 m |
12-15 m |
|
Silo Berth |
n/a |
|
||
Berthing Tugs |
n/a |
|
||
Water Barges |
n/a |
|
South Asia Gateway Terminal
Type of Berth |
Quantity |
Length (m) |
Maximum Draft (m) |
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Conventional Berth |
n/a |
|
||
Container Berth |
3 |
940 m |
15 m |
n/a |
Silo Berth |
n/a |
|
||
Berthing Tugs |
n/a |
|
||
Water Barges |
n/a |
|
Colombo International Container Terminal
Type of Berth |
Quantity |
Length (m) |
Maximum Draft (m) |
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Conventional Berth |
n/a |
|
||
Container Berth |
4 |
1,200 m |
18 m |
n/a |
Silo Berth |
n/a |
|
||
Berthing Tugs |
n/a |
|
||
Water Barges |
n/a |
|
More information at: https://www.slpa.lk/port-colombo/terminals
General Cargo Handling Berths
Cargo Type |
Berth Identification |
---|---|
Imports - Bagged Cargo |
1 |
Exports - Bagged Cargo |
n/a |
Imports and Exports - RoRo |
n/a |
Other Imports |
n/a |
Port Handling Equipment
Jaya Container Terminal
Equipment are managed by Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Equipment |
Available |
Total Quantity and Capacity Available |
Comments on Current Condition and Actual Usage |
---|---|---|---|
Dockside Crane |
No |
||
Container Gantries |
Yes |
Total: 20 units 35.5T: 12 units 41T: 4 units 50T: 2 units |
Available in both Panamax and super post Panamax. At present, 2 units of 35.5T are out of service. |
Mobile Cranes |
Yes |
130T: 1 unit 80T: 1 unit |
n/a |
Reach-stacker |
No |
||
RoRo Tugmaster (with Trailer) |
Yes |
210 |
n/a |
Grain Elevator with Bagging Machines |
No |
||
Transtainer |
Yes |
63 |
4 units of rail mounted gantry cranes 59 rubber-tired gantry cranes |
Forklifts |
Yes |
24 |
n/a |
Unity Container Terminal
Equipments are managed by Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Equipment |
Available |
Total Quantity and Capacity Available |
Comments on Current Condition and Actual Usage |
---|---|---|---|
Dockside Crane |
No |
||
Container Gantries |
Yes |
35T: 3 units |
n/a |
Mobile Cranes |
Yes |
||
Reach-stacker |
No |
||
RoRo Tug master (with Trailer) |
Yes |
45 |
n/a |
Grain Elevator with Bagging Machines |
No |
||
Transtainer |
Yes |
08 |
n/a |
Forklifts |
Yes |
24 |
n/a |
South Asia Gateway Terminal
Equipments are managed by South Asian Gateway Terminal (Pvt) Ltd
Equipment |
Available |
Total Quantity and Capacity Available |
Comments on Current Condition and Actual Usage |
---|---|---|---|
Dockside Crane |
Yes |
12 |
9 units of super post Panamax and 3 Nos of post Panamax. All the cranes are available for operations. |
Container Gantries |
No |
||
Mobile Cranes |
n/a |
||
Reach-stacker |
Yes |
1 |
Full container – Fantuzzi Available for operations |
RoRo Tug master (with Trailer) |
Yes |
70 |
Available for operations |
Grain Elevator with Bagging Machines |
No |
||
Transtainer |
Yes |
37 |
Available for operations |
Forklifts |
Yes |
2 |
Available for operations |
Colombo International Container Terminal
Equipment are managed by Colombo International Container Terminal (Pvt) Ltd.
Equipment |
Available |
Total Quantity and Capacity Available |
Comments on Current Condition and Actual Usage |
---|---|---|---|
Dockside Crane |
No |
||
Container Gantries |
Yes |
14 (65T) |
11 units of super post Panamax and 3 units of post Panamax |
Mobile Cranes |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Reach-stacker |
Yes |
2 |
|
RoRo Tugmaster (with Trailer) |
Yes |
82 |
|
Grain Elevator with Bagging Machines |
No |
||
Transtainer |
Yes |
37 |
|
Forklifts |
Yes |
4 |
Container Facilities
Port of Colombo provide many container facilities such as consolidation, storage facilities and handling. The port can handle 20 ft, 40 ft and 45 ft containers and 3 companies which overlooks 4 terminals provide these facilities. The facilities are in good condition.
Jaya Container Terminal
Facilities |
20 ft |
40 ft |
---|---|---|
Container Facilities Available |
53,990 TEUs of dry container capacity |
n/a |
Container Freight Station (CFS) |
15,000 m2 |
n/a |
Refrigerated Container Stations |
1548 |
n/a |
Other Capacity Details |
45.5 Hectares |
n/a |
Daily Take Off Capacity |
n/a |
n/a |
Number of Reefer Stations |
n/a |
1548 |
Emergency Take-off Capacity |
n/a |
n/a |
Off take Capacity of Gang Shift |
n/a |
n/a |
Unity Container Terminal
Facilities |
20 ft |
40 ft |
---|---|---|
Container Facilities Available |
8,000 TEUs of dry container capacity |
n/a |
Container Freight Station (CFS) |
n/a |
n/a |
Refrigerated Container Stations |
n/a |
n/a |
Other Capacity Details |
1.53 Hectares |
n/a |
Daily Take Off Capacity |
n/a |
n/a |
Number of Reefer Stations |
n/a |
n/a |
Emergency Take-off Capacity |
n/a |
n/a |
Off take Capacity of Gang Shift |
n/a |
n/a |
South Asia Gateway Terminal
Facilities |
20 ft |
40 ft |
---|---|---|
Container Facilities Available |
5,004 TEUs of dry container capacity |
n/a |
Container Freight Station (CFS) |
n/a |
n/a |
Refrigerated Container Stations |
540 |
n/a |
Other Capacity Details |
12 Hectares |
n/a |
Daily Take Off Capacity |
n/a |
n/a |
Number of Reefer Stations |
n/a |
n/a |
Emergency Take-off Capacity |
n/a |
n/a |
Off take Capacity of Gang Shift |
n/a |
n/a |
Customs Guidance
Sri Lanka customs headquarters is located at a walking distance from the port of Colombo. The customs administration is a department under the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media. The main activities of the customs at the port are Collection of revenue, prevention of revenue leakages and other frauds, facilitation of legitimate trade, collection of import and export data to provide statistics and cooperation and coordination with other Government Departments and stakeholders in respect of imports and exports. Before exporting a good custom declaration document should be submitted along with other documents. (Information regarding the documents needed is available at: http://www.customs.gov.lk/exports/support_doc). The cusdec is an important document which should be produced to the customs. It is a document based on the internationally recognized Single Administrative Document (SAD).
For more information on customs in Sri Lanka, please see the following link: 1.3 Customs Information.
Terminal Information
Multipurpose Terminal
The only multipurpose terminal available in the Port of Colombo is the Unity Terminal operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. It includes 2 container berths and 1 multipurpose berth.
Grain and Bulk Handling
N/a
Main Storage Terminal
N/a
Stevedoring
Stevedoring was done by wharf companies before, but currently it is done by the Premier Shipping (Pvt) Ltd. The stevedoring activities include multi country container consolidation operations outside the port and within the port, container handling, and conventional cargo operations. Stevedoring charges can be found at: https://www.slpa.lk/application_resources/other/Tariff_2019.pdf
Hinterland Information
Goods are moved out of the port in container trucks. There are 6 container freight stations which has 2 ASCC each. The 6 container freight stations are DHL Global Forwarding Lanka Pvt Ltd., Ace Distriparks Pvt Ltd., Logilink Pvt Ltd., Expo Lanka Freight, Maersk Logistics Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. and Global Transportation and Logistics (Pvt) Ltd. Thereby goods move out from these container freight stations in their own trucks.
Port Security
Security standards of the port is established according to the SOLAS convention of International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The port is ISPS compliant. The security of the port is under the Sri Lankan Navy. It started in 2004 when a navy base was established at the Colombo port. The security team is responsible for the vehicles and people coming in and out. According to the situation of the country the security methods changes and currently CCTV cameras are used. However, for fire situations Colombo port has a special ship complaint with fire extinguishing facilities.
Security |
|
---|---|
ISPS Compliant |
Yes |
Current ISPS Level |
1 |
Police Boats |
Yes |
Fire Engines |
Yes |