History of Colombo Port

Since 1918, the Port of Colombo had been administered by the Colombo Port Commission, a
Government Department which was made responsible for the supply and maintenance of cargo -
handling equipment and other infrastructure, pilotage services, docking and slipping. The
government had funded all its activities. Stevedoring and shore handling activities were in the
hands of several private Wharf age Companies. In 1958, the Port Cargo Corporation was set up
to take over these activities performed by a multiplicity of operators. The Port Tally and Protective
Services Corporation was formed in 1967 in order to perform on-board tallying and watchmen
services on behalf of Agents.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority was constituted under the provisions of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority
Act, No. 51 of 1979 (subsequently amended by Act No. 7 of 1984 and Act No. 35 of 1984) on the
1st of August 1979, effecting the merger of the Colombo Port Commission Department and the
two existing statutory Corporations. This resulted in a unified organization with a streamlined
structure. The Ports Authority does not receive financial allocations from the government but
operates on its own revenue and resources.

Milestones

1505 - Port of Colombo was known to the Western World

1912 - Colombo Port was converted to a sheltered harbour
1913 - Colombo Port Commission Established
1954 - Inauguration of the Queen Elizabeth Quay
1954 - Completion of 16 alongside berths, transit sheds and warehouses
1958 - Port (Cargo) Corporation was founded
1979 - Sri Lanka Ports Authority was Formed
1980 - Inauguration Queen Elizabeth Terminal
1982 - Opening of New Bridge (Hartal Bridge over the Harbour Canal)
1982 - Installation of first Gantry Crane
1985 - Jaye Container Terminal - I was Built
1987 - Jaye Container Terminal - II was Built
1995 - Jaye Container Terminal - III was Built
1996 - Jaye Container Terminal - IV was Built
1996 - Deepening of Main Channel to 15M depth
1996 - Handling of the 1,000,000th Container TEU with a year
1997 - Inauguration Oil Berth
1997 - Handling of the 1,500,000th Container TEU with a year
1998 - Inauguration Unity Container Terminal I
1998 - Signing of an agreement to foster friendly relationship
1999 - Commissioning of empty Container Yard
1999 - Commissioning of the Oluvil Lighthouse
1999 - Opening of the Oluvil Maritime Training Centre
1999 - Commencement – South Asia Gateway Terminal
1999 - Commencement of construction of 50,000 dwt. alongside berth
2000 - Commencement of Colombo South Harbour feasibility study
2000 - Commencement of Construction of third Berth in Galle Port
2000 - Inaugaration of Peliyagoda CFS
2000 - Commencement of a feasibility study - Port of Galle development
2000 - Commencement of North Pier Development Phase II
2000 - Inauguration of the One-Stop Documentation Centre
2001 - Inauguration of the New Jetty in Port of Galle
2001 - Completion of Stage I of QEQ(SAGT) development project
2001 - Commissioning of the dredger "Hansakawa"
2001 - Boom extension of Gantry Cranes at JCT III and IV
2001 - Commencement of the feasibility study for Port of Hambantota and inauguration of the
new training Institute and project Office
2002 - Inauguration of the Ashraff Quay (multi purpose Alongside Berth) in the Port of
Trincomalee
2003 - Inauguration of Customer service Centre for LCL and break-bulk cargo
2003 - Opening of SLPA Maritime Museum
2003 - Ceremonial inauguration of Unity container Terminal with the completion of the civil
works
2003 - Ceremonial inauguration of container handling operations at Unity Container Terminal
2004 - The Port of Colombo has crossed the 2.2 million TEUs marks for the year 2004
2005 - Commencement of constructions of the Port and Housing Scheme in Oluwil.
2005 - Handled 2.45 million TEUs and achieved 10.6% against year 2004.
2006 - Commissioning of Container security Initiative and Megaport Initiative in the POC.
2006 - Signing of MOU for the proposed CMB Port Expansion project.
2006 - Signing of MOU concerning detailed design works of Hambantota Port Dev. Project.
2006 - Handling of Three Million Containers in the Port of Colombo.
2007 - Commencement of Construction work of the Hambantota Port Dev. Project.
2008 - Commencement of Construction work of Oluvil Port Project.
2008 - Commencement of Construction work of Colombo Port Expansion Project.
2008 - Signing of Contract agreement for construction of Bunkering facility and Tank farm at
Hambantota.
2009 - Signing of MOU with APL shipping line.
2009 - Commencement of New Terminal Management IT System (NAVIS).
2010 - Ceremony of Sea Water filling to the Basin of Magampura Port (Hambantota) - 15-08-
2010.
2010 - Ceremonial inauguration of cargo handling operations at Magampura Port
(Hambantota) - 18-11-2010.
2010 - Handling of 2 Million Containers at the Jaya Container Terminal - (JCT).
2010 - Handling of 4 Million Containers at the port of Colombo.
2011 - Arrival of 06 Nos. New Gantry Cranes and 30 Nos. Transfer Cranes.
2011 - Capacity enhancement at colombo Oil Terminal of SLPA.
2011 - Arrival of 50 Nos. Terminal Tractors.
2011 - Arrival of 2nd Batch of Terminal Equipment - 03 Nos Gantry Cranes & 11 Nos.
Transfer Cranes.
2011 - Signing of Agreement for Colombo Port Expansion Project - South Container Terminal.
2011 - Ground Breaking Ceremony at Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksha Port to open
new business ventures.
2011 - Ground Breaking Ceremony for commencement of construction work of Colombo
South Container Terminal.
2012 - Commencement of handling Ro - RO Vessels at Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda
Rajapaksha Port.
2012 - Replacing the dilapidated existing bunker fuel pipe line from the Bloemendhal Oil
Terminal to the Port of Colombo.
2013 - Vision 2020 - The corporate plan of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) was launched.
2013 - Ceremonial Inauguration of the Colombo Port Expansion Project with a monumental
breakwater of 6.8 k.m. and the 1st Terminal - (Colombo International Container
Terminal (CICT)).
2013 - Ceremonial Inauguration of Port of Oluvil.
2013 - Implementation of Import FCL Module of Cargo Management System.
2013 - Ceremonial Inauguration of Administration Building at MRMR Port.
2014 - Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT)fully operational in April.
2014 - CImplementation of Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS in May.
2014 - Ceremonial Inauguration of Tank Farm Complex and Bunkering Terminal at Magam
Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port - 22.06.2014
2014 - Ceremonial Inauguration of Administration Building at MRMR Port.
2014 - Opening of New Fire Brigade Building - 01.08.2014 - Port of Colombo.
2014 - Arrival of 02 Gantry Cranes and 02 Tugs at MRMR Port.
2014 - Inauguration of the Colombo Port City development project - 17.09.2014
2015 - Handling of 05 Millionth containers by the Port of Colombo.
2016 - Opening of New CFS Stage 1 Port of Colombo.
2016 - Launched SLPA new Web site - 10.08.2016
2017 - Operations of Fully Re-constructed Container Freight Station 01 (CFS 1)
2017 - Concession Agreement between SLPA and CM Port for Port Operations of the Port of
Hambantota signed
2017 - The First Public Private Partnership for Port Operation inaugurated
2017 - SLPA hosts the 19th Symposium on International Network of Affiliated Ports (INAP)
Conference.
2017 - Signing of Shareholders Agreement & Land Lease Agreement of the Port of
Hambantota.
2017 - Generation of 01st Payment under Hambantota Port Concession Agreement between
Sri Lanka Ports Authority and China Merchants Port Holdings Company Ltd.
2017 - Handling of 6 Millionth TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) by the Port of Colombo.
2017 - Recorded the highest ever net profit of Rs. 13.3 Billion
2018 - Generation of 02nd Payment under Hambantota Port Concession Agreement between
Sri Lanka Ports Authority and China Merchants Port Holdings Company Ltd.

2018 - SLPA enters into MOU with SAGT and CICT to collectively promote the Port of
Colombo.

2018 - SLPA won Ports Authority of the Year 2018 Award at Global Ports Forum.

2018 - Generation of last tranche under Hambantota Port Concession Agreement between Sri
Lanka Ports Authority and China Merchants Port Holdings Company Ltd.

2018 - The Port of Colombo organised the first ever Colombo Port Award Night.

2018 - Port of Colombo Ranked as the World’s Highest Container Growth Port in the first half
of 2018 – Alphaliner.
2019 - Handling of 7 Million TEUs by the Port of Colombo.
2019 - Sri Lanka Ports Authority celebrated its 40th anniversary on August 2019.
2020 - Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s East Container Terminal commissioned.
2020 - SLPA won the GPF Awards for “Port Authority of The Year & Port Infrastructure
Development of the Year 2020”.
2020 - A new sports complex for the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
2020 - Sri Lanka: East Container Terminal Inaugurated for Operations.
2020 - SLPA commenced Phase V of JCT.
2021 - SLPA laid foundation stone for a new Container Freight Station.
2021 - SLPA Female Crane Operators Received Excellence Award.
2021 - Sri Lanka Ports Authority launched ‘Theertha’ Magazine.
2021 - SLPA Upgraded its Terminal Management System(TMS) to N4.
2021 - Colombo Port is the top-ranked port in South Asia (CPPI).
2021 - Sri Lanka Ports Authority Celebrated 42nd Anniversary.
2021 - World’s largest container ship in Colombo Port.
2022 - The construction of the second phase of the Eastern Terminal of the Colombo Port
commenced.
2022 - SLPA won the Best Port Authority and the Best Public Container Terminal of the Year
2021 Award at Global Ports Forum.
2023 - SLPA won prestigious GPF Awards for Port Authority of the Year and Best Public
Container Terminal of the Year 2023.

Ports managed by SLPA

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