Sri Lanka’s Hambantota International Port adds six-hectare RoRo yard to lift vehicle capacity
The Morning: Hambantota International Port (HIP) has commissioned a six-hectare Roll-on/Roll-off yard under Stage I of Phase II of its RoRo expansion programme, increasing vehicle storage capacity as part of its automotive transshipment strategy.
The new yard raises parking capacity to 4,500 units per terminal space, easing pressure on existing areas and improving traffic flow and yard planning. The port said the expansion is expected to support faster vessel turnaround times and higher operational productivity.
In 2025, the port handled 726,153 vehicles, reflecting continued growth in transshipment volumes across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It is targeting an annual RoRo capacity of 1 million vehicles in upcoming development phases.
Hambantota International Port Group CEO Wilson Qu said: “This expansion represents a key phase in HIP’s long-term automotive logistics development. The additional capacity will reduce congestion, enable faster vessel turnaround times and significantly enhance productivity. More importantly, it strengthens our value proposition to global RoRo operators seeking efficient transhipment solutions along the main East–West trade corridor.”
Located about 10 nautical miles from the main East-West shipping lane, the port offers deviation savings compared with several regional alternatives and serves as a consolidation and redistribution hub linking Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Its deep-water berths and dedicated RoRo terminals can accommodate large pure car and truck carriers.
Stage II of Phase II is under construction and is scheduled for commissioning in the second quarter of this year. On the same day as the commissioning ceremony, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha announced two additional RoRo services for Hambantota, indicating continued carrier engagement with the port’s automotive operations.
OSL take:
The move by Hambantota International Port to expand its RoRo yard to increase the vehicle storage capacity as part of its automotive transshipment strategy indicates the overall growth of Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and related sectors like ports, shipping and logistics. Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean close to international maritime lanes, expanding trade ties with many foreign countries and the improving business conducive environment in the country have all helped boost the country’s maritime industry while the country is focused on further developing the industry to become a regional maritime hub. The target of becoming a maritime hub has opened multiple business/investment opportunities in the maritime industry and related sectors, especially due to the increasing demand and the need to be on par with the evolving global maritime industry. There has been an increase in the interest shown by foreign businesses/investors to explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry while businesses already engaged in the industry have shown growth and profits indicating its business potential.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260305/Z_3 |