LankaBIZ • Industry Intelligence

Sri Lanka Logistics Industry Tracker

A data-driven intelligence dashboard tracking ports, shipping, freight, air cargo, trade flows, customs, warehousing, supply chains, infrastructure investment, digital trade facilitation and Sri Lanka’s emergence as an Indian Ocean logistics hub.

Updated: September 2026

Port Data: H1 2026

Air Cargo: H1 2026

Trade: Jan–Jul 2026

Customs Digitalisation

Logistics Hub Strategy

Logistics Industry Index

Strong Growth / Strategic Expansion • LankaBIZ analytical indicator

Colombo Port H1 2026

4.44 M TEU

+11.9% YoY

Colombo Port 2025

8.3 M TEU

Record annual throughput

Total Exports Jan–Jul 2026

US$10.49 Bn

Merchandise + services • +5.5%

Air Cargo H1 2026

109,746 T

Loaded + unloaded

Port of Colombo Intelligence

H1 2026

4,444,034

TEUs H1 2026

+11.9% YoY

+471,981

Incremental TEUs

Versus H1 2025

20th

Global container ranking

H1 2026 Alphaliner ranking

~84%

Transshipment share

Highly hub-oriented model

Maritime Growth Engine

Sri Lanka’s core logistics advantage

Colombo Container Throughput Growth +11.9%

Domestic Container Growth • Jan–Apr +20.2%

Transshipment Growth • Jan–Apr +14.2%

Ship Traffic • Jan–Apr +5.8%

Port Network Expansion

Beyond Colombo

Gateway	Latest Indicator	Status	Strategic Role
Colombo Port	4.44m TEUs H1 2026	Strong	Global transshipment hub
Hambantota Port	8.24m tonnes cargo in 2025	Expanding	RoRo, industrial and container logistics
Galle Port	National port network	Developing	Regional / specialised maritime activity
Kankesanthurai	Planned development	Strategic	Northern regional trade gateway

Hambantota Logistics Expansion

Container capacity

2025 Cargo

8.24 M Tonnes

Versus 3.0m tonnes in 2024

2025 RoRo

726,153

Vehicles / units

Container Throughput

428,036 TEU

2025

New Equipment Investment

US$108 M

Capacity expansion toward 2m TEU

Air Logistics Monitor

H1 2026

109,746.27

Total Cargo Movement

Includes 68,466 tonnes loaded and 41,280 tonnes unloaded during January–June 2026.

250,000 MT

BIA Cargo Capacity

Existing cargo handling capacity, with further terminal expansion underway.

Trade Flow Engine

Jan–Jul 2026

US$8.19 Bn

Merchandise Exports

+5.05% YoY, creating continued demand for freight, forwarding and port services.

US$2.30 Bn

Services Exports

Estimated services exports during January–July 2026.

US$10.49 Bn

Total Exports

Merchandise plus services exports, +5.5% YoY.

Customs & Digital Trade

Structural transformation

ASYHUB Mandatory digital cargo-manifest integration between Customs and maritime stakeholders.

Trade National Single Window Multi-agency digital trade-facilitation platform under implementation.

Paperless Customs Customs is moving toward paperless declaration and digital documentation processes.

AEO Programme Authorized Economic Operator framework replacing the previous Fast Track facilitation mechanism.

Logistics Infrastructure Pipeline

Government strategy

Project / Initiative	Direction	Impact
Colombo Port Expansion	Additional container capacity	Very High
Western Container Terminal Phase II	Capacity expansion	Very High
Port Logistics Centres	Feasibility / development	High
Hambantota Container Expansion	2m TEU annual capacity target	High
Multimodal Logistics Parks	Integrated logistics infrastructure	High
Air Cargo Centre	BIA cargo expansion	High
Cold Chain Infrastructure	PPP-oriented development	Very High

Sri Lanka Logistics Value Chain

LankaBIZ framework

Ocean Freight Core

Road Freight Core

Freight Forwarding High

Warehousing Growing

Cargo Generation
Manufacturing, agriculture, retail and energy imports.
Gateway
Colombo, Hambantota and airport cargo infrastructure.
Intermediation
Shipping lines, freight forwarders, customs brokers and 3PLs.
Distribution
Warehousing, domestic distribution, e-commerce and last mile.

Logistics Risk Monitor

LankaBIZ assessment

Geopolitical Risk

HIGH

Red Sea / Middle East / shipping routes

Fuel & Operating Cost

HIGH

Shipping, trucking and handling exposure

Infrastructure

IMPROVING

Port and logistics investment cycle

Digitalisation

POSITIVE

ASYHUB / TNSW / port systems

Geopolitical disruption Middle East and Red Sea disruptions can alter shipping routes, insurance costs, vessel schedules and cargo volumes.

Transshipment concentration Colombo’s strong hub position is an advantage, but its high transshipment dependence also exposes volumes to global shipping-network changes.

Infrastructure bottlenecks Continued cargo growth requires matching investment in terminals, roads, rail, warehouses, customs and inland logistics.

Cold-chain gap Insufficient cold storage and outdated systems remain constraints for higher-value air-cargo and food/pharmaceutical logistics.

Strategic Logistics Opportunities

2026–2035

Transshipment

Colombo’s strategic location and rapidly rising container volumes reinforce Sri Lanka’s position as an Indian Ocean transshipment hub.

Logistics Parks

Multimodal logistics parks can integrate ports, road freight, warehousing, customs and distribution.

Cold Chain

Pharmaceuticals, seafood, agriculture and high-value food exports create demand for temperature-controlled logistics.

E-Commerce Logistics

Domestic parcels, fulfilment centres, last-mile delivery and returns management can support continued logistics-sector growth.

Digital Freight

AI route optimisation, freight marketplaces, cargo visibility, digital documentation and predictive logistics offer productivity gains.

Value-Added Logistics

Packaging, labelling, consolidation, inspection, bonded warehousing and light processing can increase logistics value per shipment.

LankaBIZ AI Logistics Outlook

Sri Lanka’s logistics sector has entered a strong infrastructure and connectivity cycle. The combination of rapidly growing Colombo Port volumes, expanding Hambantota capacity, rising exports, air-cargo investment and digital customs reform creates a compelling long-term opportunity. The principal weakness remains the sector’s exposure to global shipping disruptions, fuel costs and infrastructure bottlenecks.

Port Logistics Very positive — container volumes and capacity investment are rising.

Freight Forwarding Positive — export and import activity supports demand.

Warehousing Positive — integrated and value-added facilities have significant potential.

Air Cargo Positive — cargo infrastructure expansion creates new opportunities.

Digital Logistics Very positive — Customs and port digitalisation can reduce friction.

Overall Outlook Strong growth — Sri Lanka is increasingly positioned as an Indian Ocean logistics hub.

Data & Methodology

The LankaBIZ Logistics Industry Index is a proprietary analytical indicator and is not an official government index. It combines port throughput, trade growth, air cargo, infrastructure investment, digital trade facilitation, logistics capacity, supply-chain risks and strategic positioning.

Port statistics are based primarily on Sri Lanka Ports Authority operational data and related official reporting. H1 2026 Colombo throughput reached 4,444,034 TEUs, compared with 3,972,053 TEUs in H1 2025.

Export data uses Sri Lanka Export Development Board reporting for January–July 2026. Air-cargo statistics are based on Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka H1 2026 data.

Customs and digital-trade indicators reflect Sri Lanka Customs developments including ASYHUB, AEO implementation, paperless customs initiatives and the Trade National Single Window.

The index should be refreshed as new monthly port, trade, air cargo, customs and infrastructure data becomes available.

LankaBIZ Logistics Data Engine

Recommended API architecture:

/api/logistics/dashboard
/api/logistics/index
/api/logistics/ports
/api/logistics/colombo-port
/api/logistics/hambantota
/api/logistics/galle
/api/logistics/kankesanthurai
/api/logistics/teu
/api/logistics/transshipment
/api/logistics/domestic-cargo
/api/logistics/ship-traffic
/api/logistics/air-cargo
/api/logistics/freight
/api/logistics/road-freight
/api/logistics/warehousing
/api/logistics/cold-chain
/api/logistics/customs
/api/logistics/asyhub
/api/logistics/tnsw
/api/logistics/aeo
/api/logistics/projects
/api/logistics/infrastructure
/api/logistics/trade
/api/logistics/exports
/api/logistics/imports
/api/logistics/companies
/api/logistics/news
/api/logistics/index-history