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Sri Lankan History

Nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is a vibrant island nation with a rich tapestry of history, culture, and commerce. Known in ancient times as Serendib and Ceylon, Sri Lanka has long served as a strategic maritime hub, connecting East and West through centuries of trade. From the spice routes of antiquity to the bustling ports of today, the island has always played a pivotal role in global logistics.

Sri Lanka’s recorded history spans over 2,500 years, marked by the rise of ancient kingdoms, colonial influences from the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, and a resilient journey to independence in 1948. Today, the country stands as a dynamic republic with a growing economy, driven by innovation, connectivity, and international trade.

With its prime location along major shipping lanes and state-of-the-art port infrastructure—most notably the Port of Colombo, one of South Asia’s busiest transshipment hubs—Sri Lanka is uniquely positioned to serve as a gateway to the region. The nation’s commitment to modernization and its strategic partnerships have made it a key player in global freight and logistics.

At Elite Shipping & Logistics, we are proud to be part of this legacy—delivering reliable, efficient, and forward-thinking freight forwarding solutions from the heart of Sri Lanka to the world.

Sri Lanka's EX-IM Potential

Sri Lanka’s export sector is showing strong signs of resilience and growth. In the first four months of 2025 alone, total exports reached US$5.58 billion, marking a 6.9% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Key export sectors include apparel and textiles, tea, spices, ICT and business services, and petroleum products. Notably, tea exports to international markets have surged, while services exports—particularly in ICT and logistics—are becoming increasingly significant.

On the import side, Sri Lanka has eliminated customs duties on 50% of tariff lines under trade agreements like the Sri Lanka-Singapore FTA, with plans to increase this to 80% over the next decade. Imports remain essential for industrial inputs, fuel, and consumer goods, and the government is actively working to streamline customs procedures and enhance trade facilitation.

With expanding trade agreements, improving infrastructure, and a renewed focus on export diversification, Sri Lanka is poised to strengthen its role in regional and global trade networks.

At Elite Shipping & Logistics, we are proud to be part of this transformation—delivering reliable, efficient, and forward-thinking freight forwarding solutions from the heart of Sri Lanka to the world.

The Colombo Port

After independence in 1948, the Colombo Port was expanded with the construction of the Queen Elizabeth Quay with 16 alongside berths, transit sheds, and warehouses. The harbour underwent a major transformation to handle containerized cargo in early 1980s with Cranes, Gantries and other staples of a contemporary container terminal followed by deepening the access channel in the 1990s. The strategic location of the port of Colombo amidst trade routes became more attractive to main line shipping than any other port in the region.

Today the Port of Colombo is rated among the top 30 container ports in the world, and is poised for accelerated growth as it competes with regional heavy weights in the International Maritime Arena such as Port Klang and Port of Singapore.

Given the strategic locality of the Port of Colombo, it handles mainly transshipment volumes which are fed to/from the Indian Sub-Continent, while also acting as a hub for large vessels in the East-West trade route between the Far-Eastern Ports and Europe. Colombo port handled a volume of 7.8 Million teus in 2024, up from 6.9 Million teus (+12%) in 2023. The increase follows a rather impressive year-on-year bump with further projected increases in the near future given the Port is on track to increase capacity by over 100% in the next 2 years.