Port of Colombo

The Port of Colombo Sinhala: කොළඹ වරාය, Tamil: கொழும்பு துறைமுகம் (known as Port of Kolomtota during the early 14th Century Kotte Kingdom) is the largest and busiest port in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean. Located in Colombo, on the southwestern shores on the Kelani River, it serves as an important terminal in Asia due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean. During the 1980s, the port underwent rapid modernization with the installation of cranes, gantries and other modern-day terminal requirements.

Port of Colombo
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
Location
CountrySri Lanka
LocationColombo
Coordinates06°57′10″N 79°50′41″E
UN/LOCODELKCMB
Details
OpenedAncient
Owned byGovernment of Sri Lanka
Type of harbourSeaport
Land area4.8 km2 (1,200 acres)
SizeLarge
No. of berths51
No. of piers27
VisionLogistic Excellence in the Silk Route
Statistics
Annual cargo tonnage72.9 million (2019)
Annual container volume7.25 million (2021) TEUs
Website
http://www.slpa.lk/

Currently with a capacity of 7 million TEUs and a dredged depth of over 15 m (49 ft), the Colombo Harbour is one of the busiest ports in the world, and ranks among the top 25 ports. It is also one of the biggest artificial harbours in the world handling most of the country's foreign trade. It has an annual cargo tonnage of 30.9 million tons. The port is also the naval base for Sri Lanka Navy Western Fleet under the Commander Western Naval Area (COMWEST). The Port of Colombo is home to the second tallest building in South Asia and is the center for many commercial interests.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.