Colombo port jumps to 20th in global container port rankings.
- 7 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Port of Colombo has climbed six places in the latest global container port rankings, strengthening Sri Lanka’s position as a major shipping hub in the Indian Ocean.
According to Alphaliner’s first-half 2026 rankings, Colombo rose from 26th to 20th place among the world’s busiest container ports.
The port handled 4.44 million TEUs during the first six months of 2026, up 11.9 per cent from the same period last year.
Colombo processed 4,444,034 TEUs, compared with 3,972,053 TEUs in the first half of 2025. That represents an increase of nearly 472,000 TEUs.
The strong performance follows a record year in 2025, when Colombo handled around 8.3 million TEUs.
The improvement comes as global shipping routes continue to change due to geopolitical tensions, supply-chain disruptions and shifting trade patterns.
While Chinese ports continue to dominate the global rankings, Colombo was among the ports recording some of the strongest growth during the first half of this year.
Shanghai remained the world’s busiest container port, handling about 28.7 million TEUs, followed by Ningbo-Zhoushan and Singapore.
Other Chinese ports, including Shenzhen, Qingdao, Guangzhou and Tianjin, also remained among the global leaders.
However, shipping disruptions have affected several major ports. Alphaliner reported significant declines at some Middle Eastern facilities, including Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, which dropped from 10th place at the end of 2025 to 32nd by mid-2026.
Sri Lanka is also looking to build on Colombo’s momentum. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority is pursuing further investment in container handling and logistics infrastructure, with potential investments of up to US$2 billion over the next one to three years.
The planned projects include port expansions and public-private partnerships aimed at strengthening Colombo’s role in regional and global maritime trade.
More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.
Source : News First
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