For the first time in its port history, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) exceeded the monthly throughput volume of 200,000 containers in August, reported Xinhua.

Priyanth Wickrema, SLPA chairman told reporters that they have handled 201,217 containers last month, achieving a growth of 22 percent compared to the same period of last year.

Wickrema said during the first eight months of this year, SLPA handled 1,392,959 containers, representing a growth of 24 percent than the same period of 2009.