Colombo Port

The Colombo Port is the largest and busiest port in Sri Lanka. It is located in Colombo and handles around 80% of the country’s maritime trade. The port is also a hub for transshipment between India and East Asia. The major towns near Colombo Port are Negombo, Katunayake, and Wattala. The Colombo Port was first established in 1883 and has undergone several expansions. The most recent development was completed in 2011 and increased the port’s capacity to 20 million TEUs. The Colombo Port is operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and is divided into two main areas: the Colombo Harbour and the Colombo International Container Terminal. The Colombo Harbour is the older part of the port and is used for general cargo and bulk commodities. It consists of two basins – the outer harbor and the inner harbor. The Colombo International Container Terminal is the newer port part and was built to handle the increasing volume of container traffic. It has a capacity of 4.8 million TEUs. A network of highways and railways serves Colombo Port.

The Port of Colombo is subject to several import and export requirements. All goods imported into Sri Lanka must be declared to the Customs Department. All imports are subject to customs duty, levied at a rate of 10% of the value of the goods. All goods imported into Sri Lanka must be accompanied by a valid import license. Import licenses are issued by the Sri Lanka Board of Investment (BOI). Goods subject to import restrictions include arms and ammunition, drugs and pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and motor vehicles. All exports from Sri Lanka must be declared to the Customs Department. All exports are subject to export duty.