Sri Lanka aims to complete East Container Terminal construction by mid next year

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) aims to complete the construction of the East Container Terminal (ECT), the largest container operations terminal in the Port of Colombo by the middle part of next year, a statement by Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation said. 

The jetty planned for this terminal will be 1400 metres long, allowing three mega ships to berth simultaneously upon completion. 

The ECT will also feature 12 gantry cranes and 40 transfer cranes. The terminal’s container yard area is estimated to be 75 hectares. Designed to handle 3 million containers annually, ECT will operate as a semi-automated terminal, incorporating digital technology.

A sum of US$ 585 million has been allocated for the development of the terminal through financial provisions by SLPA. China Engineering and Access Engineering are the appointed construction contractors.
Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, made a special visit to inspect the  construction works of the terminal recently.  The event was attended by SLPA Chairman Keith Barnard, Vice Chariman Gayan Alagewattege, Managing Director Prabath Malavige, and several other officials.

During the event, Minister de Silva emphasised the significance of the East Container Terminal within the Port of Colombo. He urged collaboration without disputes to ensure the immediate and quality construction of the terminal, stressing that any losses incurred would affect the port’s employees more than himself.
The Minister also highlighted the potential for Port of Colombo to be recognised as one of the main ports in Asia. He advocated for the establishment of a suitable process to position it as the hub port of Asia, attracting more ships to Colombo.