One of the world’s largest container ships arrives at Colombo Port

One of the world’s largest container ships, MSC MARIELLA, has arrived at the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Harbour for operational activities, marking a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s maritime history.

According to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), this vessel can now be recognized as the largest container ship ever to arrive at a Sri Lankan port.

The SLPA also noted that the arrival of MSC MARIELLA affirms the capability of the Colombo harbour to handle some of the largest container vessels in the world, reinforcing its status as a major central port in the Indian Ocean region.

Built in 2023, MSC MARIELLA is 399.9 meters long and 61.3 meters wide, with a gross weight of 240,739 tons and a container capacity of 24,244 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units).

This visit to the East Container Terminal, operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, confirms the terminal’s capacity to handle ultra-large container ships.

Currently, the terminal is equipped with advanced Ship-to-Shore (STS) gantry cranes, which enable efficient and safe container operations, the SLPA noted. 

This achievement once again reaffirms the SLPA’s strength and commitment toward developing modern infrastructure, the Ports Authority said in a statement.