## Company Profile FREIGHTPLAN (PVT) LTD — freight forwarder based in Sri Lanka (lead country: LK). Public-facing website points at S.A. Shipping Group (http://www.sasholdings.com). Typical services for a Colombo-based forwarder: ocean/air freight forwarding, FCL/LCL consolidation, customs clearance, terminal/port coordination, local inland trucking and door delivery, export documentation and shipment consolidation for small/medium exporters. Likely customers: agri exporters (tea, coconut products, spices), apparel/apparel input exporters, rubber and processed food exporters using Colombo as gateway/transshipment hub. Scale: not public; appears to be a local/regional forwarder positioned to serve Sri Lankan exporters and importers through Colombo’s major terminals. ## Pain Points 1) Route and schedule volatility is increasing shipment lead times (+7–15 days) and spot freight premiums on Asia–Europe/US lanes in 2026 — exporters face working-capital and contract timing pressure; Freightplan must manage customer complaints, schedule changes and higher freight pass-throughs. 2) Exporters (notably tea, spices, coconut and apparel) are seeing margin compression from higher logistics costs and buyer price sensitivity; they need faster access to alternative buyers and markets (Middle East, specialty US/EU) to sustain volumes. 3) Greater complexity in coordinating multi-terminal calls, transshipment windows and feeder timings at Colombo (CICT/SAGT/CWIT), plus customs/documentation delays post-cyclone recovery — forwarders need integrated, end-to-end sourcing-to-delivery orchestration to avoid missed sales windows and demurrage costs. ## Intel Summary === MULTI-DIMENSION RESEARCH === === 1. MARKET EVENTS – COLOMBO PORT CONTAINER THROUGHPUT & TRANSSHIPMENT ROLE (2025–2026) === • Record throughput in 2025, strong transshipment orientation - Colombo handled 8.29 million TEU in 2025, the highest ever throughput for the port. (english.news.cn) - Central Bank data show 6.92 million TEU in Jan–Oct 2025, a 7.1% YoY increase, with growth driven by domestic cargo, while transshipment “continued to form the backbone” of operations. (maritimegateway.com) - Earlier figures for 2024: transshipment volumes reached 6.31 million TEU, 81% of total throughput, underscoring Colombo’s role as a regional hub rather than just a gateway port. (maritimegateway.com) • Transshipment positioning and service patterns (2025–2026) - Colombo remains one of South Asia’s key hub ports on the East–West mainline, serving India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and East Africa feeder traffic; deepwater capacity for ULCVs is mainly at CICT, while SAGT and the state-run terminals handle a mix of gateway and transshipment boxes. (english.news.cn) - Shipping line behavior in 2024 (still relevant to network risk in 2025–26): operational issues and inter-terminal delays at Colombo led some lines to reroute services to competing hubs (e.g., Singapore, Salalah, Mundra/JNPT), particularly when congestion increased. (maritimegateway.com) • Route changes & Red Sea disruption context - Persistent Red Sea risk since 2023 has seen most Asia–Europe mainline services divert via the Cape of Good Hope, extending transit times by 7–14 days and raising freight costs; this affects Colombo’s attractiveness in network design because services have to absorb higher round-voyage times and bunker costs. (ports.marinelink.com) - As some carriers cautiously returned to the Suez/Red Sea route in early 2026, others (e.g., CMA CGM’s FAL1/FAL3/MEX loops) reverted to the Cape in response to renewed threats, highlighting continued schedule volatility for hub ports such as Colombo. (spglobal.com) • Terminal investment & capacity signals - 2025 performance commentary from Sri Lanka Ports Authority notes: CICT maintained high berth productivity and yard efficiency, supporting calls by ultra-large vessels. SAGT continued to support regional and transshipment cargo. Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) made progress in 2025 as part of capacity expansion, which is expected to increase overall container capacity and deepen Colombo’s hub role toward 2030. (english.news.cn, meti.go.jp) • Key implications & watchpoints (2026) - With 2025 throughput up 7%+ YoY and transshipment still >80% of volume, any further service re-routing due to Red Sea or Strait of Hormuz tensions could significantly change feeder patterns, frequency and size of mainline calls. The commissioning trajectory and productivity of CWIT in 2026–27 is a key capacity and service offering signal for shippers using Colombo as a consolidation point into Asia–Europe strings. === 2. COMMODITY TRENDS – SRI LANKA TEA EXPORTS, PRICES & DEMAND (2025–2026) === • Export volumes & earnings (2025 full year) - Multiple recent summaries indicate that in 2025 Sri Lanka exported around 257–258 million kg of tea, up roughly 4.7–5% YoY from about 246 million kg in 2024. (china.org.cn) - Export earnings in 2025 were about LKR 453 billion (~US$1.5 billion), up from LKR 433 billion (~US$1.44 billion) in 2024, i.e. +4–5% in value. (lankawebsites.com) • Price levels – auction & export (2025 into early 2026) - Central Bank/Tea Board data show Colombo auction average for Jan–Nov 2025 edging up slightly versus 2024 for high-grown teas, but commentary notes marginal pressure on average prices and weaker performance toward year-end 2025 as global buyers became more price-sensitive. (cbsl.gov.lk, lankawebsites.com) - Export perspective: from Jan–Aug 2025, Sri Lanka shipped 174.5 million kg for LKR 306 billion (~US$1.2 billion), with an average FOB price of about US$5.88/kg. (lankawebsites.com) - Tea Exporters Association’s early-2026 assessment flags a risk that Ceylon tea’s traditional price premium over Kenyan and Indian origins could erode if buyers continue to trade down or blend aggressively in a high-cost logistics environment. (teasrilanka.org) • Market destinations & demand – EU, Middle East, US (2025–early 2026) - Major importers in 2025–26 remain Iraq, Türkiye, Russia/CIS, UAE, Iran and a range of Middle Eastern and North African buyers; TEA’s March 2026 bulletin highlights Middle East markets as key volume drivers and fast growers. (teasrilanka.org) - European buyers are more price-sensitive and increasingly focused on residue compliance and sustainability certifications; US demand is mid-sized but focused on specialty/premium teas. (teasrilanka.org, tradingeconomics.com) • Operational & timing factors (2025–2026) - Cyclone Ditwah in late 2025 caused disruptions to plantation operations and logistics; TEA’s 2026 outlook notes 2026 as a recovery period but with continuing climate and cost pressure risks. (teasrilanka.org) - The ongoing Red Sea/Cape of Good Hope diversions add 1–2 weeks to transit times and raise freight costs, increasing working capital and inventory costs for EU/US buyers and adding pressure on FOB prices at Colombo. (china.org.cn) • Key signals to monitor in 2026 - Whether Sri Lanka maintains its ~US$5.8–6.0/kg FOB average while protecting volumes into Middle East and regaining momentum in EU/US. Implementation and enforcement timelines for EU sustainability/de‑risking regulations and how quickly production and logistics normalize post‑Cyclone Ditwah. === 3. TIMING SIGNALS – RED SEA / HOUTHI MARITIME SECURITY & ASIA–EUROPE SHIPPING (2026) === • Security situation & attack patterns (late 2025–2026) - Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al‑Mandeb began in late 2023 and have continued with varying intensity; in early 2026 S&P Global reported a reduction in successful attacks and some reopening of Red Sea routes, but carriers remain cautious. (en.wikipedia.org, spglobal.com) - The 2026 Iran war and Strait of Hormuz crisis (late Feb–Mar 2026) again escalated risk and disrupted energy and container flows, with Houthis announcing resumed threats in late Feb 2026. (en.wikipedia.org) • Routing patterns and transit times (Asia–Europe, Asia–US East Coast) - Most container lines have continued routing mainline Asia–Europe services around the Cape of Good Hope into 1Q–2Q 2026, adding +7–15 days to transit times. (ports.marinelink.com) • Freight rate levels & volatility (2026) - Logistics market updates (April 2026) note Asia–Europe all‑in rates around US$1,850/FEU (roughly US$925/TEU) for spot shipments, higher than pre‑crisis baselines and with a persistent security premium expected into Q3 2026. (luyiss.com, spglobal.com) • Operational and inventory timing implications for agri/food commodities - Continued diversions and uncertain security conditions mean longer lead times and lower schedule reliability, affecting fresh/semi‑perishable commodities and promotional timing; shippers must reconfigure inventory and contracting (longer safety lead times, higher stock or flexible sale terms) to cope with extended transits and episodic rate spikes. (luyiss.com) Sources: see search results list (maritimegateway.com, english.news.cn, spglobal.com, ports.marinelink.com, luyiss.com, teasrilanka.org, cbsl.gov.lk, china.org.cn, tradingeconomics.com).