Sri Lanka has inaugurated the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), the largest and deepest container terminal in the country.
Developed in collaboration with China’s Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), CWIT is a fully automated facility designed to enhance the nation’s shipping capabilities.
CWIT began operations on 27 February 2025, by successfully handling the loading and unloading of its first commercial vessel in 10.5 hours.
The terminal is equipped with three ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, eight automated rail-mounted gantry (ARMG) cranes, and 17 intelligent guided vehicles (IGVs).
The STS cranes, with a 72m outreach and 53m lifting height, can handle ultra-large container vessels with capacities of up to 24,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).
With a 1,400m quay and a 20m depth, CWIT has a capacity of 3.2m TEUs annually.
The facility is powered by a real-time locating system integrating GPS, RFID, and MLT technologies, ensuring seamless operations and management.
ZPMC has supplied eight STS cranes, and 18 ARMG cranes, along with auxiliary systems, including equipment management, terminal operations, and automated gates.
The terminal also features advanced integrated subsystems such as dual-rail optical character recognition and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Its automated spreader system addresses challenges related to container height differences, longitudinal discrepancies, and angular deviations, enhancing operational efficiency.
CWIT is expected to significantly boost Sri Lanka’s economy and its competitiveness in the global shipping industry.
Since entering the Sri Lankan market, ZPMC has delivered more than 100 units of advanced port machinery to key ports across the country.
