China Harbour in ECT second phase

USD 510 mn project gets underway

China Harbour Engineering Company and Access Engineering PLC will carry out the construction work of the second phase of the Eastern Container Terminal at the Colombo Port. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of construction work at the Terminal.

The project launched yesterday (12) is expected to be completed in 2024. The terminal encompassing 75 hectares; it is 1,320 metres long. The Presidential Secretariat said: “Once completed, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) will inherit a fully-fledged Terminal equipped with 12 STC cranes that handle operations from ships to the land and 40 Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) Cranes.

The total expected expenditure on the project is US$ 510 million and the Ports Authority will spend US$ 200 million.

Access Engineering PLC and China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd., are jointly carrying out constructions.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa asked the people not to ponder on the previous two years lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic and keep hopes for the next three years instead.

“The past has value only to the Opposition. We must always embrace the future, not the past”, the PM said.

The Prime Minister said that no one should give up hope or optimistic thoughts that “they have about the country and that we should embrace the future, leaving the past two years to the critics. The Port of Colombo is currently ranked 23rd in the world according to the Alphaliner’s Ports Ranking. Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said the Port will be ranked 13th after the completion of the new development work.”