News / Adani seals new Colombo deal, but transhipment losing out to direct India calls

Sri Lanka’s port of Colombo is set for a new container terminal, after a protracted deal with Indian port operator Adani was finalised last week.

However, just as the ink dries on the port’s imminent capacity expansion, the disruption to shipping schedules and unprecedented freight rates has led to an uptick in direct calls to India, as carriers choose to bypass South Asia’s biggest transhipment hub.

Rohan Masakorala, CEO of Shippers’ Academy Colombo, told The Loadstar: “Rates are up 500% in some ...