ceylon shipping lines ltd srilanka

What ceylon shipping lines ltd srilanka does

Ceylon Shipping Lines Ltd (CSL) is a privately held Sri Lankan logistics and shipping group headquartered at 450 D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha, Colombo 10, with approximately 25 employees. The company operates a multi-service portfolio centered on customs bonded warehousing, freight forwarding, and container logistics. Its core asset base comprises three customs bonded warehouses in Colombo, Kandy, and Addalachchenai, plus a 5-hectare container yard in Colombo described as the largest in the city and closest to the Port of Colombo. Daily throughput includes approximately 300 consignees cleared and delivered at the Colombo bonded warehouse and 200 at Kandy. Supporting operations include a Container Freight Station (CFS), a 24/7 Central Verification Terminal operated in collaboration with the Board of Investment and Sri Lanka Customs for BOI enterprise cargo inspection, reefer handling, and container refurbishment to IICL standard.

CSL's business model is built on transaction fees and professional services across seven revenue streams: sea/air freight forwarding and clearing, customs bonded warehousing, unaccompanied personal baggage (UPB) clearing with door-to-door home delivery, container yard and refurbishment operations, ship chandling and hotel supplies via wholly-owned subsidiary Ceylon Port Services Limited (CPS), IATA-accredited airline ticketing and travel services via CSL Travels & Tours (operating since 1979), and printing/publishing including a monthly e-paper (Sayuren Ethera). The Shipping Department is directly linked to the online EDI system of Sri Lanka Customs for automated import/export documentation.

Customer segments span individual importers/exporters using UPB services, commercial private-sector organizations and government departments engaged in import/export trade, shipping lines and vessel operators requiring local agency, BOI enterprises served via the CVT, hotel suppliers through CPS, and travelers via CSL Travels & Tours. Distribution is a hybrid of direct service delivery through owned warehouses/offices across Sri Lanka and a global channel network of over 25 appointed cargo agents across Australia, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and North America. The company holds ISO 9001-2000 certification from SGS United Kingdom for bonded warehouse and UPB clearing operations. No public revenue, funding, M&A, or executive leadership information is disclosed.

Name

ceylon shipping lines ltd srilanka

Legal name

Ceylon Shipping Lines Ltd

Website

https://ceylonshippingline.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ceylon Shipping Lines Ltd is a privately held Sri Lankan logistics group operating customs bonded warehouses in Colombo, Kandy, and Addalachchenai, a 5-hectare container yard, freight forwarding, UPB clearing, ship chandling via subsidiary CPS, and IATA-accredited travel services, serving importers, exporters, BOI enterprises, and travelers through a global cargo agent network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL) (TLACABAF), Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction) (TLACAHAD), International Freight Forwarding (Air/Ocean) for Personal Effects (HSAKACAD), LCL (Less-than-Container Load) Consolidation/Deconsolidation (TLACABAB)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Customs bonded warehousing
• Personal baggage clearing
• Container depot operations
• Travel agency services

Headquarters

HQ city

Colombo

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Sea/Air freight handling, clearing and forwarding for imports and exports. Processing shipping, forwarding and distribution services.
2. Customs Bonded Warehousing: Customs bonded warehousing services including storage and cargo handling at multiple locations
3. Unaccompanied Personal Baggage Operations: UPB clearing and door-to-door home delivery services for personal effects and baggage
4. Container Depot Operations: Container yard operations, reefer facilities, and container refurbishment/maintenance services
5. Airline Ticketing and Travel Services: IATA accredited travel agency services including air ticketing, tour packages, visa assistance, and travel insurance
6. Ship Chandling: Ship chandling, clearing, handling and forwarding services plus hotel supplies
7. Printing and Publishing: Fully fledged printing press with latest technology for printing and publishing services

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Ceylon Shipping Lines Ltd provides integrated logistics and shipping services centered on customs bonded warehousing and unaccompanied personal baggage (UPB) clearing across multiple Sri Lankan locations. Its offerings include sea and air freight forwarding, clearing and forwarding for imports and exports, container freight station and depot operations, reefer handling and IICL-standard container refurbishment, and IATA-accredited travel agency services through CSL Travels & Tours. The company operates a wholly owned subsidiary (Ceylon Port Services Limited) handling ship chandling, hotel supplies, and post office services.

Product overview

Ceylon Shipping Lines Ltd is a comprehensive logistics and shipping solutions provider offering a multi-service portfolio centered around freight forwarding, customs clearance, and transportation. The core offering consists of Bonded Warehousing and Unaccompanied Personal Baggage (UPB) Clearing services with facilities in Colombo, Kandy, and Addalachchena. Supporting services include Container Freight Station (CFS) operations, Central Verification Terminal (CVT) for BOI enterprises, Reefer and Container Refurbishment, and Import/Export Processing. The company also operates Ceylon Port Services (a subsidiary) for ship chandelling and cargo handling, and CSL Travels & Tours for airline ticketing and tour packages. A monthly e-paper publication (Sayuren Ethera) is also published. The company maintains an extensive global network of over 25 cargo agents across multiple countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bonded Warehouse & UPB Clearing Complex Customs bonded warehousing and unaccompanied personal baggage (UPB) clearing services operated at bonded warehouse facilities in Colombo, Kandy, and Addalachchenai, clearing and delivering goods and personal effects for hundreds of consignees daily with door-to-door home delivery coverage across major cities.
• Import and Export Processing Services Sea/air freight forwarding, clearing, liner agency representation, vessel operations, ship chandling, door-to-door pickup and delivery, professional packing, fumigation, and marine insurance for private sector organizations and government departments. Integrated with the online EDI system of Sri Lanka Customs for automated Import/Export documentation.
• Container Freight Station (CFS) Container Freight Station with large warehouse facilities serving exporters and importers, handling inspection and deconsolidation of import/export cargo.
• Central Verification Terminal (CVT) Central Verification Terminal operating 365 days a year, 24 hours a day in collaboration with the Board of Investment and Sri Lanka Customs, handling warehousing and inspection of import/export cargo of BOI Enterprises.
• Reefer and Container Refurbishment Reefer container handling facilities and container refurbishment, maintenance, and engineering services carried out to IICL standard across all categories of container repair work.
• Ceylon Port Services (CPS) Subsidiary service offering ship chandling, clearing, handling and forwarding of import and export cargo, hotel supplies and services, moving and transportation of personal and commercial cargo, and operation of an Agency Post Office.
• CSL Travels & Tours IATA-accredited travel agency offering airline ticketing, outbound tour packages, inbound tours (Sri Lanka tours), visa assistance, and travel insurance. Licensed by Civil Aviation Authority and the Tourism Development Authority.
• City Central Container Depot Largest container yard in Colombo, located closest to the Port of Colombo, spread over 5 hectares, with island-wide transportation capabilities for container logistics and storage.
• Courier Service and Storage Courier service with efficient delivery channels and storage facilities for cargo handled in conjunction with freight forwarding operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300 consignees cleared and delivered daily at Colombo bonded warehouse
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered quality certification partner, core regulatory partnership, licensing partnership, industry association membership and preferred partner network.

• SGS United Kingdomquality certification partnerOthersSGS United Kingdom awarded ISO 9001-2000 certificate to CSL for its Bonded Warehouse and Unaccompanied Baggage Clearing Complex operations
• Sri Lanka Customscore regulatory partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSL operates Central Verification Terminal in collaboration with Board of Investment and Sri Lanka Customs. This unit handles warehousing and inspection of import/export cargo of BOI Enterprises on a 365-day 24-hour basis.
• Tourism Development Authoritylicensing partnershipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCSL Travels is licensed by Civil Aviation Authority to issue air tickets on behalf of many airlines and is Tourism Development Authority licensed agent to handle tourism in Sri Lanka.
• IATA Agents Association of Sri Lanka (IATAASL)industry association membershipOthersMembers of TAASL, IATAASL and Pacific Asia Travel Agents Association (PATA) for industry representation and networking.
• Overseas Tour Operators and Hotelspreferred partner networkStrategic or Co-development PartnerArrangements with overseas tour operators and star class hotels to offer preferential rates for hotel accommodation and tours in many overseas destinations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hayleys Freight Management: Hayleys' freight management division offers freight forwarding, customs clearance, and logistics services in Sri Lanka. Directly comparable on customs brokerage and 3PL operations.
• Scanwell Logistics Sri Lanka: Scanwell operates Sri Lanka-specific freight forwarding and customs clearance. Closely comparable business model for a focused regional forwarder in CSL's core market.
• Aitken Spence Logistics: Sri Lankan conglomerate with logistics, freight, and maritime services arms. Closely comparable as a Sri Lanka-headquartered multi-service logistics provider operating bonded warehousing and freight forwarding.
• Trans Logistics Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka-headquartered freight forwarder offering sea/air, customs clearance, and personal effects handling. Direct comparable on UPB clearing and personal baggage forwarding services.
• Expolanka Freight: Expolanka's freight vertical provides international freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and contract logistics across Sri Lanka. Similar bundled offering for exporters and importers.
• Maersk Logistics Sri Lanka: Maersk, as a global liner operator and integrated logistics provider, runs Sri Lanka depot and freight services. Comparable as a vessel owner plus local freight/cargo handling platform.

Broad incumbents

• Expeditors Sri Lanka: US-listed global logistics provider offering air and ocean freight forwarding plus customs services in Sri Lanka. Directly comparable core services at significantly larger scale.
• DHL Global Forwarding Sri Lanka: Global integrators offer sea/air freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and warehousing as part of broader portfolios including LTL, courier, and contract logistics. Comparable on freight forwarding and customs clearance but at global scale.
• DB Schenker Sri Lanka: Global logistics integrator providing freight forwarding (sea/air) and customs clearance services in Sri Lanka. Comparable offering, broader network, and deeper operations than CSL.
• Kuehne+Nagel Sri Lanka: Global forwarder provides sea/air freight, customs brokerage, contract logistics, and integrated supply chain solutions from Sri Lanka. Overlaps with CSL's freight forwarding and customs clearing services but as a much larger incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ceylon-shipping-lines-ltd-srilanka

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ceylon shipping lines ltd srilanka