According to media reports, SAGT’s 30-year concession is due to expire in 2029. Sri Lankan policymakers are reportedly considering a fresh competitive tender rather than extending the existing agreement, potentially opening the terminal to new investors and operating partners.     SAGT is currently owned by John Keells Holdings, with a 42% stake, Maersk’s APM Terminals with 33%, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) with 15%, and Evergreen with 10%. The terminal has three berths with a combined quay length of 940 metres and an annual handling capacity of approximately 2 million TEUs.     The terminal handled 1.8 million TEUs in fiscal year 2025–26, down 11% year-on-year, as disruptions linked to the Middle East crisis led to service suspensions. Despite the decline, Colombo remains a strategically important transshipment hub connecting major east–west shipping routes.     Industry sources indicate that major container carriers are interested in participating in the concession process. Maersk is reportedly considering a joint bid with another European shipping line, although no formal agreement has been announced.     Competition for the concession could intensify as shipping groups seek greater control over terminal infrastructure, vessel operations and transshipment capacity across South Asia.     Colombo handled 4.4 million TEUs in the first half of 2026, an increase of 12% year-on-year, highlighting the port’s continuing importance in regional container trade. However, capacity constraints and growing competition from Indian ports remain significant challenges.     Meanwhile, Adani Ports’ $750 million investment in Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) is strengthening the port’s capacity. The terminal has launched Phase 2 operations, doubling its capacity to 3.2 million TEUs after handling 2 million TEUs within 18 months of its initial operations.    

The potential SAGT re-tender could reshape the ownership and operating landscape at Colombo Port, attract additional international investment and intensify competition among global terminal operators and shipping lines seeking a stronger position in South Asian maritime trade.