The Hambantota International Port (HIP) has reached a major milestone in its container operations, surpassing one million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in cumulative container throughput since commissioning new quay cranes in 2025, according to Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) Pvt Ltd.
The port handled 428,036 TEUs in 2025 and 574,196 TEUs year-to-date in 2026, pushing its combined total to 1,002,232 TEUs.
HIPG Chief Executive Officer Wilson Qu stated that reaching the milestone highlights growing customer trust and the port’s rise as a competitive regional and international container hub. Qu attributed this growth to active engagement with shipping lines, high operational reliability, and the port’s capacity to adapt to evolving customer requirements.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), HIP’s primary container-sector partner, has played a key role in driving this volume expansion. In April 2026, HIP set a single vessel handling record when the MSC Marie Leslie completed 7,968 container moves (13,260 TEUs) during a single call, surpassing previous benchmarks set in March by the MSC Ilenia and MSC Ruby.
Building on that momentum, the port logged its highest-ever monthly volume in June 2026, handling 80,325 TEUs. Port officials noted that the record demonstrates HIP’s operational capability and strong carrier partnerships despite ongoing global trade route disruptions.
To support continued growth toward an annual target of two million TEUs, HIP is advancing a major expansion project. Supported by a $108 million investment in container handling equipment and infrastructure, the port is acquiring six new quay cranes and 16 rubber tyred gantry cranes, expected to be commissioned by late February 2027.
The project will increase ship-to-shore and yard-handling capacity, optimize vessel turnaround times, and bring an additional 1,300 meters of berth into service extending HIP’s total container quay length to nearly two kilometers. The container yard will also expand by 30%, accompanied by upgraded reefer facilities.
HIP Chief Operations Officer Tommy Yang noted that the investment aligns directly with rising demand, adding that the infrastructure enhancements will allow HIP to efficiently service larger vessels and sustain its next phase of growth. (Newswire)