Data released by Sri Lanka's Central Bank showed that 335 ships called at ports in the Indian Ocean island in September down 25 from a year earlier. Up to September 3,127 ships had called down 133 vessels or 4.1 percent.

In September 79,106 domestic containers were handled, down 8.3 percent or 7,167 twenty foot equivalent units. In August also domestic volumes fell 9.8 percnet. Year to date volumes were still up 1.4 percent to 776,557.

Transshipment volumes fell 2.1 percent to 242,454 TEUs in September with the total up to September down 1.5 percent to 2,293,967.

Total containers handled up to September were down 0.4 percent, 3,151,804 TEUs.

Bulk cargo handled was down 1.2 percent to 5.53 million metric tonnes, but from January to September volumes were up 1.6 percent to 49.04 million metric tonnes.