Port expansion makes headway

Three more terminals for Colombo Port:

Boost for shipping industry, economic growth:

Charumini DE SILVA

The Colombo Port Expansion Project will be a boost to the Sri Lanka’s shipping industry.

It aims to improve the economic growth of the country to cater to the increasing demands of services for international shipping lines.

Expansion of the Colombo Port facilitates private sector investment in the country. It is one of the most important projects to uplift the facilities of the Colombo port. It is now under way and making good progress, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman, Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama said.

The Colombo Port Expansion Project provides for dredging and 6.83km length breakwater construction sufficient to accommodate three terminals, which will be constructed sequentially.

The Project includes the establishment of a new marine operations center relocation of a submarine oil pipeline, provision of navigation aids, and construction of shore utilities.

The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 38 billion. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) jointly financed the infrastructure of the projects.

The overall progress is assessed at about 22 percent and the financial proposal for the South container terminal has been opened and evaluation is completed he said.

The first South container terminal will be constructed on a Build Operate Transfer (BOP) basis and will be developed on a public-private partnership basis.

The selection of a port operator for the South container terminal is in process and will be completed at the completion of the harbour infrastructure work in 2012.

The construction of the breakwater by placing of core material and outer protection layers of first 2400 metre length of the break-water has been completed. The submarine crude oil pipeline to the SPBM runs across the port entrance at shallow depth and needed to relay a new pipe at deep depths to dredge the canal up to 20 metres.

The laying of the pipeline has been completed in April this year. The connection between the old and new pipeline will be completed by July depending on favourable weather conditions.

The Chairman said the project will promote economic growth by improving Sri Lanka’s competitiveness in the ports sector by expanding Colombo Port using public-private partnerships and facilitate economic growth by enhancing national competitiveness in international trade via lower transport costs and faster delivery times.