METRO SHIPPING LINES LLC

What METRO SHIPPING LINES LLC does

METRO Logistics International (Pvt) Ltd, operating under the Metro Logistics brand and legally registered as METRO SHIPPING LINES LLC in some jurisdictions, is a Sri Lanka-headquartered freight forwarding and project cargo logistics company founded in 2003 in Kelaniya. The firm began as a five-employee dry-van mover focused on Over Dimension Cargo (ODC) and grew into what its own materials describe as the key player in Colombo for ODC within a short period. Its core service offering spans Project Cargo Management (feasibility studies, heavy-lift equipment evaluation, route planning, and multi-disciplinary engineering for out-of-gauge cargo), International Conventional Ship Handling (vessel-operating carrier operations, chartering, and commercial/technical ship management), Break Bulk and Chartering (palletised, drum, and oversized non-containerised cargo), and end-to-end Logistics Solutions (inland transport, warehousing, temporary storage, door-to-door delivery, container supply, packing, and customs clearance). The proprietary asset base includes the MLI container line — a fleet of 2,500 fully owned containers, dry vans, special equipment, a fully equipped container yard, and haulers — alongside the bespoke 'Ship Sure' information management system that integrates multi-disciplinary operations and client reporting.

The business operates on a transaction-based, consultative B2B model with enterprise field sales: engagements are customised per customer and revenue is generated from professional-services fees on complex project cargo and transaction fees on NVOCC/containerised shipments. Pricing is pay-as-you-go via a private tariff page rather than publicly disclosed rates. The customer base is not named in source material, but the segmentation approach is horizontal, targeting Project Cargo Handlers (oversized cargo), NVOCC Customers (registered bill-of-lading container shipping), and Break Bulk Cargo Clients. Distribution is direct to enterprise clients through a global network of offices, branches, and active partners covering China, SE Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, the Red Sea, Europe, and Africa. The company holds the 'A' Class Licence from the Director General of Merchant Shipping Sri Lanka and has its Bill of Lading registered with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, with full insurance coverage on operations. Headcount stands at 7 employees and no external funding, M&A, or ownership changes have been disclosed.

Name

METRO SHIPPING LINES LLC

Legal name

METRO Logistics International (Pvt) Ltd

Website

https://metrologisticscmb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

METRO Logistics International is a Sri Lanka-based NVOCC and project cargo specialist serving enterprise clients requiring oversized and out-of-gauge cargo handling, with 2,500 owned containers and global route coverage across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (484230), Other Support Activities for Transportation (4889)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project Cargo & Heavy-Lift Transload (TLALAFAL), Inland Container Depots (ICD) / Inland Ports (TLALAJAB)

Keywords

• Project cargo management
• NVOCC services
• Break bulk shipping
• Outsized cargo logistics
• Ocean freight forwarding

Headquarters

HQ city

Kelaniya

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Project Cargo Management: Specialized services for oversized cargo that cannot be containerized, including feasibility studies, route planning, heavy lift equipment evaluation, and end-to-end project management
2. International Conventional Ship Handling: Marine support services for offshore operations including chartering and ship management (commercial and technical)
3. Break Bulk & Chartering: Handling of cargo not in containers including oversized cargo for specific project needs, vessel-operating common carrier and NVOCC services
4. NVOCC Services: Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier services with own bill of lading registered with Central Bank of Sri Lanka, holder of 'A' Class Licence
5. Logistics Solutions: Inland transportation, warehousing, temporary storage, door-to-door delivery, container supply, labor supply, packing/removing/stuffing/unstuffing services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

METRO Logistics International (Pvt) Ltd (also known as METRO SHIPPING LINES LLC) provides B2B logistics services centered on project cargo management, NVOCC operations, break bulk and chartering, international conventional ship handling, and integrated logistics solutions (inland transport, warehousing, custom clearance, container supply). It operates its own MLI container line with a fleet of 2,500 fully owned units, a fully equipped container yard, and haulers to deliver end-to-end door-to-door delivery for oversized and out-of-gauge cargo across global trade lanes.

Product overview

Metro Logistics International (Pvt) Ltd operates as a comprehensive logistics and shipping company offering a unified suite of services centered around project cargo management and NVOCC operations. The core product portfolio includes Project Cargo Management (specialized OOG cargo handling), International Conventional Ship Handling (global shipping with Ship Sure management system), Break Bulk & Chartering (non-containerized cargo), Logistics Solutions (inland transport, warehousing, door-to-door delivery), and NVOCC services through their proprietary 'MLI' container line with 2500 units. The company also provides custom clearance and operates a fully equipped container yard with haulers. Services are offered as integrated total logistics consulting rather than as separate modular products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Cargo Management Specialized handling and transportation of out-of-gauge (OOG), oversized, and non-containerizable cargo. Includes feasibility studies, heavy lift equipment evaluation, route planning, and multi-disciplinary engineering teams for complex project cargo logistics for enterprise clients.
• International Conventional Ship Handling Global shipping services including vessel-operating carrier operations, offshore marine support, chartering, and ship management (commercial and technical). Features proprietary information management system Ship Sure for integrated operations.
• Break Bulk & Chartering Handling of non-containerized cargo including oversized project cargo shipped on pallets, barrels, drums, boxes, or bags. Includes vessel chartering services for specialized shipping needs.
• Logistics Solutions Comprehensive logistics services including inland transportation, warehousing, temporary storage, door-to-door delivery, container supply, and packing/removal/stuffing/unstuffing services within ports and local transportation.
• NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier) Services NVOCC services providing own container line 'MLI' with fleet of 2,500 units of special equipment and dry vans, enabling freight forwarding capabilities without owning vessels. Bill of lading registered with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka; holder of 'A' Class Licence.
• Custom Clearance Providing customs clearance services as part of total logistics consulting for import and export cargo.
• Container Yard Operations Fully equipped container yard with fleet of haulers for cargo handling and storage, supporting the MLI container line and project cargo operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Became key player in Colombo for ODC within a short period
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Network Partners (Globally Scattered)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrustworthy network of active partners scattered globally that contribute to customer acquisition and service delivery. Partners are described as having no customer complaints and being integral to the company's ability to serve international markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• DHL Global Forwarding: Division of Deutsche Post DHL offering air, ocean, road, and rail freight forwarding plus project logistics. Competes with METRO across ocean FCL forwarding, NVOCC services, and specialised project cargo movements.
• DSV Panalpina: Global transport and logistics company formed through the Panalpina and DSV merger, with strong project cargo and heavy-lift forwarding capabilities inherited from Panalpina. Competes with METRO in international project cargo forwarding and break bulk chartering.
• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with a global NVOCC network and significant project cargo / OOG capabilities. Comparable to METRO as a direct competitor in ocean freight forwarding and project logistics, though at vastly larger scale and broader service portfolio.
• C.H. Robinson: Large US-headquartered global logistics platform with significant ocean, air, and project forwarding capabilities. Comparable to METRO in NVOCC operations and freight forwarding, although with a much broader service portfolio and asset-light model.
• Expeditors International: Global asset-light freight forwarder with strong ocean and air forwarding including NVOCC services. Comparable to METRO on the ocean forwarding and NVOCC dimensions but competes from a much larger technology-driven, asset-light position.
• DB Schenker: German global logistics provider with a dedicated project cargo and heavy-lift division serving industrial customers. Overlaps with METRO's project cargo management and break bulk chartering offerings, particularly in South Asia–Europe corridors.

Direct peers

• Trans Global Projects: UK-headquartered specialist in project cargo, heavy lift, and out-of-gauge shipments across global trade lanes. Closely comparable to METRO's ODC/OOG project cargo management focus, including feasibility studies, route planning, and multi-modal execution.

Regional players

• Express Shipping Co (Sri Lanka): Sri Lankan freight forwarder and NVOCC providing ocean and air freight services out of Colombo. Directly comparable to METRO as a same-market competitor serving Sri Lanka's import/export and project cargo community.
• Freight Links International (Sri Lanka): Sri Lanka-based international freight forwarder handling FCL, LCL, break bulk, and project cargo. Comparable to METRO as a Colombo-headquartered forwarder competing for similar regional shippers across the same operating lanes.
• Cargomind (Sri Lanka operations): Global freight forwarder with South Asian presence offering ocean, air, and project cargo forwarding. Comparable to METRO as a competing project cargo forwarder operating in the same regional lanes out of Colombo.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metro-shipping-lines-llc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 METRO SHIPPING LINES LLC