Sri Lankan port group places large order with ZPMCSri Lanka’s Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) has signed a deal worth USD108 million for new container handling equipment under the first stage of the port’s phase two container terminal development.
Under the deal, HIPG will acquire 16 rubber-tyre gantry cranes, 40 trailers and six quay cranes from Chinese materials handling equipment maker, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC).
The agreement marks a major expansion of HIPG’s container terminal capacity “amid growing demand for alternative logistics hubs as global shipping patterns continue to shift, particularly due to geo-political tensions in the Middle East”.
Hambantota International Port is 10 nautical miles from the main East–West shipping route, positioning it, HIPG states, as a reliable and efficient option for shipping lines seeking minimal deviation and operational stability.
H E Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka, says the agreement “marks another important achievement in deepening bilateral cooperation in the port sector and advancing high-quality belt and road cooperation”.
The port recorded strong growth for 2025, handling 8.24 million tonnes of cargo, up from 3 million in 2024.
Sri Lankan Minister of Ports and Shipping, Anura Karunathilaka, says the agreement strengthens co-operations between Sri Lanka and China while reinforcing Hambantota Port as “a flagship example of mutually beneficial partnership”.