Hambantota, Sri Lanka – March 21, 2025 – The Hambantota International Port (HIP) welcomed vessel CMA CGM Silverstone, a pure car carrier operated by CMA CGM, marking her first-ever call at a Sri Lankan port. This milestone emphasises the growing significance of HIP as a regional hub for vehicle transshipment.
The 200-meter-long, LNG powered, CMA CGM Silverstone sailing under the Maltese flag, was built in 2024 and has the capacity to transport 7,000 cars. The ship arrived in HIP from Singapore with 333 loading units that included vehicles. While CMA CGM is already well established as the third-largest container shipping operator in the world, this marks the operator’s expansion into the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) segment.
“CMA CGM bringing its first pure car carrier vessel to Sri Lanka is a significant moment,” says Kingsley Abeywickrama, Director of CMA CGM Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. “While this is currently a one-off trial call, it provides an opportunity for us to assess HIP’s potential as a future transshipment hub for car operations.”
Unlike conventional RoRo vessels that may carry mixed cargo, the CMA CGM SILVERSTONE is exclusively designed for vehicle transport. This voyage does not involve local vehicle imports or exports but rather transshipment of units already discharged at HIP by other operators. The vessel will transport the units from Hambantota to Casablanca, Morocco.
Hambantota International Port has steadily gained traction as a key transshipment hub for vehicles manufactured in India, Japan, China, and South Korea, which are re-exported to global markets.
The ship’s arrival and departure operation at HIP was managed by CMA CGM’s marine services, while cargo operation was coordinated directly by Glovis.
”As CMA CGM continues to expand its RoRo capabilities, this maiden call signals the company’s intent to explore new opportunities in vehicle transshipment, leveraging HIP’s strategic location and modern infrastructure,” says Lance Zuo, General Manager Commercial and Marketing of HIPG.
CMA CGM is a global leader in shipping and logistics, ranked among the top three container shipping operators worldwide. The company which operates 14 container vessels weekly at the Port of Colombo, has a strong presence in Sri Lanka and continues to expand into new market segments, including vehicle transshipment.
