South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT)
About SAGT
SAGT is a container terminal at Queen Elizabeth Quay, Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, operated by South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd. It has an installed capacity of 2.0 million TEUs per annum and handled 2.0 million TEUs in FY25.
SAGT remains a cornerstone of the Port of Colombo, celebrating over 25 years of operational excellence. As Sri Lanka’s first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) container terminal, it has successfully transitioned into a modern, high-productivity hub that bridges regional feeder networks with global mainline services. It is located at Queen Elizabeth Quay, Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Operations commenced in September 1999 under a 30-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession. SAGT is operated by South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd, a consortium of John Keells Holdings (JKH) 42%, APM Terminals 33%, Evergreen Marine Corporation 5% and SLPA 15%.
SAGT is the primary port of call for the world’s largest shipping alliances, with a focus on transhipment reliability. The primary Lines are Maersk, MSC, Evergreen, and ONE (Ocean Network Express). It serves as a vital relay point for the Indian Subcontinent (ISC) and East African trade lanes. Recent agreements have solidified SAGT as a preferred “green corridor” partner for hybrid-powered vessels calling from the Far East.
As a joint venture involving APM Terminals (Maersk) and Evergreen, the terminal provides “berthing priority” to the two shipping lines.
Equipment
- 12 Ship-to-Shore (STS) quay cranes (including 9 Super Post-Panamax units). A $20 million IFC-funded upgrade is currently underway to replace ageing units with more energy-efficient models
- 31 Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) yard cranes (71% of the fleet is now retrofitted with Hybrid Technology)
- 80 Prime Movers and 30 dedicated trucks for Inter-Terminal Transfer
Facilities & infrastructure
- 5,544 ground slots for stacking
- Berth Length: 940 meters (comprising 3 berths)
- 15 meters draft alongside (16 meters in the access channel)
- 540 reefer plug points
- Fully integrated with Navis N4 and the TradeLens blockchain platform for paperless clearing
Why shippers choose SAGT
- Consistently ranked among the Top 5 most productive terminals in the world by the Journal of Commerce
- The first terminal in Colombo to aggressively transition to hybrid RTGs, reducing its carbon footprint by over 20%
- Its unique mix of shareholders (Maersk, Evergreen, and JKH) ensures it has a “captive” cargo volume and world-class management standards
- Known for the fastest Inter-Terminal Transfer rates in Colombo, making it the preferred “exchange” point for containers moving between different terminals
- SAGT was the first terminal in Sri Lanka to adopt TradeLens, the IBM/Maersk blockchain platform
- By 2026, the terminal will have achieved 100% paperless documentation
Shipping lines & services
Hinterland connectivity
Rail & road
Rail remains a minority mode for SAGT (less than 2% of inland volume), primarily used for specific bulk-containerised industrial cargo, such as wheat flour or heavy industrial raw materials, travelling to the deep hinterland. SAGT is digitally and operationally linked to approximately 20 to 25 primary ICDs and CFSs in the greater Colombo region. Veyangoda is a major rail-linked ICD used for long-term storage and decongestion. Mabole and Wattala are home to several private ICDs operated by logistics giants like Aitken Spence, Hayleys, and SAGT’s lead partner, John Keells Logistics.
CFS & warehousing
Services a network of approximately 25+ private CFSs. Peliyagoda & Orugodawatta are the densest clusters of CFSs for export consolidation (tea, garments). The primary mode of transportation is by road, about 98% via the Port Access Elevated Highway.
Frequently asked questions
Who operates SAGT?
SAGT is operated by South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd, owned by John Keells Holdings (42%), APM Terminals (33%), SLPA (15%) and Evergreen (5%).
What is the capacity of SAGT?
Installed capacity is 2.0 million TEUs per annum. Throughput in FY25 was 2.0 million TEUs, or 85–95% utilisation.
What is the port code for SAGT?
The UN/LOCODE-style port code is LKCMB.
Where is SAGT located?
SAGT is at Queen Elizabeth Quay, Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
How is SAGT connected by rail and road?
About 98% of its inland volume moves by road via the Port Access Elevated Highway; rail carries less than 2%, mainly bulk-containerised industrial cargo.
Which CFS facilities serve SAGT?
It serves about 25+ private CFSs, with the densest clusters at Peliyagoda and Orugodawatta.
In the news
Classification
Source: South Asia Container Market Report 2026, p. 76. Last updated Jan 2026.
