Hambantota International Port (HIP) has recently inaugurated a new six-hectare Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) yard, marking a pivotal advancement in Stage I of Phase II of its RoRo yard expansion program. This development is a significant milestone in the port’s long-term strategy to enhance its automotive transshipment capabilities.
The new yard increases the port’s vehicle parking capacity to 4,500 units per terminal space, alleviating pressure on existing storage areas. This improvement enhances yard planning, traffic circulation, and operational efficiency, aiming to deliver quicker vessel turnaround times and increased productivity. This expansion underscores HIP’s role as an emerging regional automotive logistics hub.
In 2025, HIP managed 726,153 vehicles, demonstrating sustained growth in transshipment volumes across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Building on this success, the port aims to expand its RoRo handling capacity to 1 million vehicles annually in future development phases.
Commenting on this achievement, Wilson Qu, CEO of HIPG, stated, “This expansion represents a key phase in HIP’s long-term automotive logistics development. The additional capacity will reduce congestion, enable faster vessel turnaround times, and significantly enhance productivity. More importantly, it strengthens our value proposition to global RoRo operators seeking efficient transshipment solutions along the main East–West trade corridor.”
Strategically located just 10 nautical miles from the main East–West shipping lane, HIP offers significant deviation savings compared to many regional ports. Its strategic positioning provides direct connectivity to South Asia’s burgeoning vehicle export markets while serving as a consolidation and redistribution hub for cargo moving between Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
HIP’s deep-water berths and dedicated RoRo terminals are equipped to accommodate some of the world’s largest Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs). Continuous investments in yard capacity, modern handling equipment, and digital yard management systems have enabled the port to scale volumes while maintaining operational reliability and service consistency.
The commissioning of Stage I of Phase II reflects HIP’s structured, multi-phase expansion approach aimed at aligning infrastructure growth with rising regional automotive flows. Construction of Stage II of Phase II is already underway and is scheduled for commissioning in the second quarter of this year, further strengthening capacity and operational resilience.
On the same day as the commissioning ceremony, two additional RoRo services for HIP were announced by NYK, reinforcing industry confidence in the port’s expanding automotive platform.
With global automotive supply chains increasingly reliant on strategically located transshipment hubs, HIP’s latest expansion reinforces its competitive edge, combining deviation efficiency, regional market access, and scalable infrastructure to support sustained growth in vehicle logistics across the Indian Ocean region.
