Adani's Colombo Terminal Commences Operations

New Delhi: Billionaire Gautam Adani's firm Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) on Monday said it has commenced operations at Colombo West International Terminal in Sri Lanka.

APSEZ, in a statement, said that developed under a public-private partnership, CWIT is operated by a consortium -- comprising India's largest port operator APSEZ, leading Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings PLC and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority -- under a 35-year build, operate, and transfer (BOT) agreement.

According to the statement, the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) project represents a significant investment of $800 million and features a 1,400-metre quay length and 20-metre depth, enabling the terminal to handle approximately 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually. It is the first deep-water terminal in Colombo to be fully automated, designed to enhance cargo handling capabilities, improve vessel turnaround times and elevate the port's status as a key transhipment hub in South Asia, the statement added. Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said the commencement of operations at CWIT marks a momentous milestone in regional cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.