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53-502: Colombo Dockyard, established its operations in 1974 and is one of Sri Lanka's engineering facilities in the business of ship repair, ship building, heavy engineering and offshore engineering. It is situated within the Port of Colombo , thus having the benefits of a deep water harbor. Colombo Dockyard operates four graving drydocks , the largest one with a capacity of 125,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT) as well as repair berth facilities. It

106-477: A capacity of 7 million TEUs and a depth of over 18 m (59 ft), the Colombo Harbour is one of the busiest ports in the world, and ranks among the top 25 ports. It is also one of the biggest artificial harbours in the world handling most of the country's foreign trade. It has an annual cargo tonnage of 30.9 million tons . The port is also the naval base for Sri Lanka Navy Western Fleet under

159-523: A fleet sent from Calicut to assist was on this occasion defeated by the Portuguese at Vedalai. A truce was negotiated between Sitawaka and Kotte in the aftermath of the conflict, and Mayadunne turned his attention south to the kingdom of Raigama, which he annexed following the death of Raigam Bandara (Pararajasinha) in 1538. Two further invasions of Kotte followed in the next five years. The first, beginning in 1539, failed following resistance organised by

212-492: A major regional hub port for transshipment cargo in the late 1990s. The main channel of the port was deepened to 15 meters, while it also reached the one million mark for annual handling of container TEUs in 1996. In 1997 the Oil Berth was opened and container traffic made it to the 1.5 million TEUs mark. 1998 saw the opening of a new container terminal while 1999 saw a new container yard begin operation. The Oluvil Lighthouse

265-737: A military centre, giving birth to the modern Port of Colombo. In 1865, the Municipal Council was created by the British in the Port of Colombo in an effort to teach the local population self-governance. The Colombo Municipal Council was practically the Legislative Council of Ceylon , meeting for the first time in 1866. In 1912, the Port was converted into a sheltered harbour, and the Colombo Port Commission

318-478: A number of locally manufactured cannon . The army commenced what was to become a twenty-two month siege of Colombo that year. In the absence of a Sitawakan navy, the Portuguese—supplied from Goa via the sea—could hold out for extended periods of time. A shift in policy by Calicut ensured that there was no hope of rekindling the old alliance with the south Indian kingdom, and Rajasinha was forced to abandon

371-477: A palace coup known as the Spoiling of Vijayabahu in 1521 by his three sons who feared their succession to the throne was about to be overlooked in favour of Vijayabahu's fourth son, Devaraja. The eldest succeeded him to the throne as Buvanekabahu VII, whilst the other two claimed parts of Kotte for themselves— Mayadunne ruling from Sitawaka and Pararajasinha establishing the kingdom of Raigama. The kingdom of Kandy

424-513: A smooth succession and a competent ruler; Rajasimha's sudden death in 1593 (the same year the Portuguese appointed their first Governor-General of Ceylon) was met with neither of these and within less than a year Sitawaka had ceased to function as a cohesive polity. In 1594 the Portuguese forces sacked the city and pressed inland in the Campaign of Danture until they were expelled by Kandyan forces under Vimaladharmasuriya. The Portuguese remained

477-530: A substantial force from Colombo along the banks of the river Kelani . At Mulleriyawa they encountered a force led by Tikiri Banda , Mayadunne's son; in the subsequent Mulleriyawa Satana a significant number of Portuguese and several thousand Lascarins were killed, and the invading force routed. The victory was a huge psychological boost for the Sitawakans, reflected in Tikiri Banda's acquisition of

530-411: A wide-ranging and often devastating conflict with the Portuguese . Sitawaka disintegrated soon after the death of its last king Rajasimha I in 1593. The kingdom of Kotte had been the major power in western Sri Lanka since its foundation in the early 15th century; under Parakaramabahu VI , the polity has been the last to unite the entirety of the island of Sri Lanka under one crown. By 1467, however,

583-920: Is accredited with the ISO 9001-2015 quality certification by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance. Colombo Dockyard has operated in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Japan since 1993- the collaboration's twenty-year anniversary was celebrated on March 26, 2013. In 2020 the Colombo Dockyard built Eco bulk carriers for Norwegian Misje Eco Bulk company, Misje subsidiary of Kåre Misje & Co. Colombo Dockyard also built Buoy Tender Vessels to sell to ports of Iraq through Toyota Tsusho Corporation of Japan. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) helped with this project. The following ships were known to be made by CD: Port of Colombo The Port of Colombo Sinhala : කොළඹ වරාය , Tamil : கொழும்பு துறைமுகம் (known as Port of Kolomtota during

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636-644: Is expected to dramatically increase the port's capacity and capabilities. The project, which was headed by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and built by the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company , was completed by 11 April 2012. The expansion project consisted of four new terminals that are 1,200 m (3,900 ft) in length and can accommodate three berths each, alongside a depth of 18 m (59 ft) (which can be deepened to 23 m (75 ft)). The channel width of

689-498: The Jaffna kingdom and Portuguese holdings in the south. Karaliyadde Bandara, king of Kandy, fled to Trincomalee and subsequently died of smallpox; his young daughter, Kusumasana Devi , came under the protection of the Portuguese, who baptised her Dona Catherina and over the next decade claimed the throne of Kandy in her name. Rajasinha's hold over the area was further disrupted by the rebellion of his viceroy Wirasundara Mudiyanse. Though

742-470: The Jaffna kingdom to the north had asserted its independence. In 1505 the first Portuguese arrived in Sri Lanka; by 1518 a large fleet of Portuguese ships had landed at Colombo and begun to construct a fort known as Santa Bárbara. To the east, the client kingdom of Kandy was by this time operating with a considerable degree of independence as well. Vijayabahu VII of Kotte (1509–1521) was deposed in

795-541: The Tooth Relic —the most sacred object in the land and a traditional symbol of royal authority and inheritance—was smuggled out of Kotte and taken to Delgamu Viharaya in Ratnapura . Portuguese claims to have burnt the relic further inflamed the resentment of the populace. A Sitawakan invasion that year was repulsed by Captain-General Dom Afonso Pereira de Lacerda . Kotte counter-attacked in 1562, with Lacerda leading

848-600: The Commander Western Naval Area (COMWEST). The Port of Colombo is home to the second tallest building in South Asia and is the center for many commercial interests. The Port of Colombo was known to Roman , Arab , and Chinese traders more than 2000 years ago. By the 8th century, Arab Muslim traders settled in Colombo as a base for their trade for that part of the world. Today, they make up

901-711: The European foothold on the island was its inexperience in siege warfare and its weak navy. Sitawaka lacked siege artillery that could significantly damage forts built by the Portuguese who were vastly more experienced in siege warfare due to constant conflicts with Moors in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. Thus Sitwaka had to rely entirely on its large labor force to mine Portuguese forts during sieges. The Portuguese used their superior navy to defend coastal forts by bombarding Sitawaka forces and bringing in reinforcements from India. Rajasinha I attempted to build

954-644: The Kotte Kingdom and forced the Portuguese into retreat they retreated into the Port of Colombo, besieging the city many times. When the Kotte kingdom fell to the Kingdom of Sitawaka , the Portuguese were able to control the entire coast, making the Port of Colombo their capital. That area of the city is still called " Fort ". In 1638 the Dutch empire signed a treaty with Rajasinghe II of Kandy for monopoly over

1007-678: The Sri Lanka Port Authority signed a $ 700 million 35-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) agreement for West Container Terminal. In 2023 U.S. International Development Finance Corporation provided $ 553m in funding for the Adani-led project. West Container Terminal WCT is expected to become operational in 2025. The Colombo Port currently has three container terminals: Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT - operated by John Keells Holdings ) and Unity Container Terminal (UCT). These terminals operate round

1060-773: The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). It is developing the new port under a 35-year build, operate, and transfer agreement with the SLPA. Commenced construction in December 2011, the first "pace" was ceremonially opened for traffic on 8 August 2013, making the Colombo Port complex one of the biggest in the world. The total length of the new breakwater is 6,830 m (22,410 ft), with a berth depth of 18 m (59 ft). In 2021, Adani Ports & SEZ together with local partners John Keells Holdings and

1113-447: The aid Portuguese forces under the command of the new Captain-General, António Barreto. Portuguese involvement in the internal politics of Kotte increased with the arrival in 1550 of viceroy Afonso de Noronha and a contingent of some 500 Portuguese soldiers. The Portuguese sacked Sitawaka later that year, but failed to retain the city. Accounts indicate that Mayadunne had adopted a policy of simply evacuating his capital and retreating into

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1166-405: The base of bluff hills rising around 1,000 feet (300 m) above the surrounding jungle cover. Soon after his ascent to the throne, Bhuvanekabahu began to strengthen his ties with the Portuguese in order to secure his throne from any potential challenge from Sitawaka. Though local resistance prevented them from completing a fortress in Colombo, from 1524 a Portuguese agent remained in Kotte under

1219-750: The clock for faster turn around time than any other operator in the region. Port facilities include: Now with the expansion of the Colombo South Harbour project CICT(Colombo International Container Terminal) was established and 12 quay cranes were added. Additional facilities include the Bandaranaike Quay (BQ) and Prince Vijaya Quay (PVQ) with four rail-mounted quay cranes , and 6,245 m (67,221 sq ft) of bonded warehouses. Kingdom of Sitawaka [REDACTED] Sri Lanka portal The kingdom of Sitawaka ( Sinhala : සීතාවක , Tamil : சீீீதாவாக்கை இராசதானி )

1272-461: The container throughput of Nhava Sheva Harbour surpassed that of Colombo. However, in 2016 Colombo port surpassed Nhava Sheva Harbour and become the largest and busiest container port in South Asia. Sri Lanka Ports Authority owns 15% stakes each in SAGT and CICT and proposed West Container Terminal. In 2008, the port commenced a large-scale expansion project at a cost of US$ 1.2 billion, which

1325-455: The discovery of collaboration with his enemies; temples were destroyed, Sri Pada seized and given over to Hindu priests, and Rajasinha himself converted to Hinduism . Many of the disaffected fled to the highlands. In Kotte, King Dharmapala formalised his donation of 1580 on 4 November 1583. Rajasinha redoubled his efforts at dislodging Europeans and by 1587 he had amassed a force of some 50,000 infantry, as well as war elephants, cavalry, and

1378-525: The districts of Weligama and Chilaw ravaged. Portuguese influence culminated in Dharmapala's 1580 declaration that in the event of his death, the lands of Kotte would pass to Philip II . Mayadunne died in 1581 and was succeeded by Rajasinha. In 1582, the new king invaded and conquered the kingdom of Kandy to the east, bringing the entirety of Sri Lanka into the Sitawakan fold, with the exception of

1431-782: The early 14th Century Kotte Kingdom ) is the largest and busiest port in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean. Located in Colombo , on the southwestern shores on the Kelani River , it serves as an important terminal in Asia due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean . During the 1980s, the port underwent rapid modernization with the installation of cranes , gantries and other modern-day terminal requirements. Currently with

1484-400: The early 1590s. Adopting the name Vimaladharmasuriya , he was seized the throne of Kandy, converted back to Buddhism, and married Don Catherina to legitimise his claim. In 1593, he defeated Rajasinha at Balane and Mawela, effectively securing Kandy's independence from Sitawaka. Rajasinha died the following year. Despite the kingdom's impressive successes, much of its stability was dependent on

1537-421: The fort in Colombo, was kept provisioned from the sea by Portuguese ships and remained in Portuguese hands until after the collapse of Sitawaka a generation later. Strategically, this enabled them to harass and wage attritionary campaigns against the kingdom, the most notable being the invasion of 1574 which saw Negombo , Kalutara and Beruwala plundered, Sitawakan garrisons at Nagalagama and Mapane expelled, and

1590-407: The harbour is to be 560 m (1,840 ft) and depth of 20 m (66 ft), with harbour basin depth of 18 m (59 ft) and a 600 m (2,000 ft) turning circle. It increases the annual container handling capacity from four million TEUs to approximately twelve million TEUs. It is also able to accommodate larger container vessels, carrying around 22,000 TEUs. The first terminal

1643-581: The island's trade goods and in turn promising help in the Kandyan King's war effort with the Portuguese. In 1656 the Portuguese were eventually defeated through a terrible siege which ended with only 93 Portuguese survivors leaving the fort. The area captured by the Dutch was given back to the Sinhalese king, however continued to control the area and the rich cinnamon lands. Until 1796, The Port of Colombo

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1696-589: The island, and receiving full authority of the coastline. The Portuguese established a trading post in the port but they soon expelled the Muslims and began building a fort in 1517. In order to protect their interests in coastal India , the Portuguese knew that controlling the island was vital, and thereby took advantage of royal rivalries between the Kingdoms. However, when the King of Sitawaka , Mayadunne , invaded

1749-563: The king's protection and Portuguese naval forces began to contend with Malabari Mappilas for dominance of cinnamonere eventually repulsed by a Bhunvanekabahu, who was assisted by forces despatched by the Portuguese Viceroy of Goa . Another attempt at seizing Kotte in 1537 failed when Mayadunne's forces were defeated by forces under the command of the Portuguese Captain-General in Colombo, Afonso de Souza ;

1802-526: The kingdom was able to raise an army of 50,000-60,000 soldiers, armed with muskets and field cannons supported by 60,000 pioneers and servants, and a logistical train of 2200 pack elephants and 40,000 oxen. Despite the possibility of exaggeration, the army likely exceeded 30,000 soldiers. The 200-strong War Elephant corps was used to devastating effect against the Portuguese on open fields but was largely ineffective against fortified targets. The greatest weakness of Sitawaka which stopped it from entirely removing

1855-431: The kingdom. A new Portuguese fortress was constructed in Colombo in 1554, and by 1556 the 70,000 inhabitants in the vicinity of Colombo Fort had converted to Catholicism. King Dharmapala himself converted to Catholicism in 1557 and adopted the name Dom João Pereira Bandara . Large numbers of Buddhist clergy and commoners fled the kingdom fearing persecution amidst rumours of forced conversions. Perhaps most significantly,

1908-485: The local Sri Lankan Moor community. Among the users of the port, China , India and Persia were among the first people to use the harbour. In 1505 the Portuguese first discovered the Port of Colombo when first arriving to the island. In an effort to protect the coast from invaders the King of Kotte at the time, Parakamabahu VIII made a treaty with the Portuguese giving them the right to trade cinnamon from

1961-464: The moniker Rajasinha—"king of the lions". Pressing their advantage, Mayadunne and Tikiri Bandara launched a two-pronged attack on Kotte in 1564, laying siege to both Kotte and Colombo. Portuguese forces were forced to retreat from Kotte with Dharmapala, leaving Sitawaka in control of much of the kingdom. Major Sitawakan garrisons were established at Wattala, Nagalagama and Mapane. However a thin coastal strip, running from Negombo to Galle and including

2014-655: The multi-purpose Ashraff Quay was inaugurated, while the new Customer Service Center for LCL and breakbulk cargoes was opened in the same year. 2003 saw the Unity Container Terminal and the Colombo Port Maritime Museum open. In 2004 the Port handled 2.2 million TEUs of containerized cargo, which increased to 2.45 million TEUs in 2005. At present, the port handles 15% of transshipment cargo in South Asia . However, in early 2009,

2067-499: The new Portuguese Captain-General in Colombo, Miguel Ferreira. Calicut yet again provided troops and weaponry to Sitawaka; however, following defeat, Kulhenamarikkar and Pachimarikkar, two of the Zamorin's generals, were handed over to the Portuguese and the alliance between Calicut and Sitawaka ended. News in 1543 that Bhuvanekabahu had named his grandson Dharmapala as his successor prompted yet another invasion, yet again repulsed with

2120-421: The platform is gloriously simple, with delicate flowered fillet, a garland of stone that must be seen to be appreciated. Apart from the fillet, the chief ornaments are pilasters, separated by perfectly flat areas which had to be cut away in order to leave the pilasters in relief; and on one of the flats is an odd little parrot, entirely unrelated to anything in the design. It seems obvious, and quite delightful, that

2173-401: The premier power in lowland Sri Lanka until the early 17th century, when they were finally expelled by Rajasinha II and his Dutch allies. A resurgent kingdom of Kandy under Vimaladharmasuriya I also sacked Sitawaka, and went on to become the major source of resistance to European power for the next two hundred years. Avissawella was reduced to being a border town, and the royal complex

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2226-490: The siege in February 1588 to deal with unrest further inland. The last years of Rajasinha's reign were spent defending the kingdom's borders, a task made more difficult by the Portuguese invasion of the northern Jaffna kingdom in 1591. The following year Portuguese forces briefly occupied Kandy, but were expelled. Nonetheless a new, and formidable, enemy had emerged in the form of Konappu Bandara, who had returned to Kandy in

2279-485: The surrounding terrain when the Portuguese approached—on occasion leaving the palace lights burning and spreading white cloth on the floor as a welcome for the invaders. Once the invaders had left the capital, the king's forces would then harass them along the route down to the Kelani river. In 1551 Bhuvanekabahu was assassinated and succeeded by Dharmapala, who relied heavily on his European allies to maintain his hold over

2332-531: The uprising was crushed, and Wirasundara murdered, his son Konappu Bandara fled into Portuguese territory. Baptised as Don Juan, he was to become an enduring opponent of the king of Sitawaka. Portuguese intrigue in Rajasinha's court had dramatic results between 1583 and 1587; numerous nobles were executed following accusations of treachery. Most importantly Rajasinha turned against the Buddhist clergy following

2385-534: The workmen got fed up with recessing that flat surface and left the birds in relief for fun, to be chiselled away on a morrow that never (John Davy, An Account of the Interior of Ceylon , 1812) The kingdom of Sitawaka was known for its military power that could challenge Europeans in conventional warfare and succeeded in keeping the Portuguese restrained to a coastal strip but attempts at entirely expelling them were unsuccessful. According to Portuguese sources, by 1587

2438-487: Was a kingdom located in south-central Sri Lanka . It emerged from the division of the kingdom of Kotte following the Spoiling of Vijayabahu in 1521. Over the course of the next seventy years it came to dominate much of the island. Sitawaka also offered fierce resistance to the Portuguese , who had arrived on the island in 1505. Despite its military successes, Sitawaka remained unstable, having to contend with repeated uprisings in its restive Kandyan territories, as well as

2491-652: Was also the capital of the Dutch Maritime Provinces controlled by the Dutch East India Company . The Port of Colombo fell to the British in 1796, when they first arrived on the island. However it remained a Kandyan Kingdom military outpost until it was surrendered in 1815. The Port was made the capital of the new British crown colony called Ceylon . The British decided to build houses and civilian buildings rather than making it into

2544-550: Was awarded to the China Merchants Holdings (International) - Aitken Spence consortium on 16 September 2010. The new terminal is planned to be operational by first quarter 2013. The 2.4 million TEU capacity Colombo South Container Terminal, the first terminal under new expansion in the Port of Colombo is built by Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd., (CICT) , a joint venture company between China Merchants Holdings (International) Co., Ltd. (CMHI) and

2597-673: Was commissioned, and the Oluvil Maritime Training Center opened also in 1999. The South Asia Gateway Terminal began operations, and a new 50 thousand DWT berth was constructed. A third berth at Galle Regional Port was started in 2000, while the Peliyagoda Container Freight Station was opened. The second phase of the North Pier development started, and the port opened a one-stop documentation center opened its doors. In 2002,

2650-433: Was created in 1980. The harbour underwent a major transformation to handle containerised cargo in the early 1980s, with two being built by the end of the 1980s and three more in the early 1990s. Due to this, and its strategic location amidst trade routes, the port became more attractive to main line shipping than any other port in the region. After the introduction of private sector operators, it consolidated its position as

2703-412: Was effectively outside of the control of any of these three successor states. The kingdom of Sitawaka initially covered a relatively small area including Kosgama, Ruwanwella, Yatiyanthota, Hanwella , Padukka , Ehaliyagoda, Kuruwita and Rathnapura . The terrain was hilly, bordered to the east by Kandy and with no access to the sea. The capital city—modern Avissawella —was situated on a steep hill at

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2756-534: Was established in 1913. Much of the city was planned during the British occupation of the Port of Colombo. The Port saw dramatic changes when the country gained its independence in 1948. The Queen Elizabeth Quay was opened in 1954, while 16 alongside berths, transit sheds and warehouses were completed. In 1958 The Port Corporation was founded. Sri Lanka's economy began to improve, even though it had influences of Portuguese , Dutch and British cultures while its own had been repressed. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority

2809-420: Was eventually lost to the jungle until explored by the British in the 19th century. Sitawaka, once a royal residence, and a place of considerable consequence, is now merely a name. No traces of what it once was are now to be seen by the traveller passing along the road; and for a time none were supposed to exist. Only the platform remains, quite small within a moat crossed by a bridge of massive slabs. The wall of

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