SLPA signs up UK firm for Colombo North Port Project feasibility study

Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman General Daya Ratnayake and AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd. Regional Director Ralph Lionel Phillips exchange the signed agreement. SLPA Finance Director Shirani Wanniarachchi and AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd. Technical Director Peter Neville Jones look on

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has assigned the feasibility study for the Colombo North Port Project to AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd.

This follows Cabinet approval, with the decision also falling under the guidance of Ports and Shipping Minister Johnston Fernando and Port Development Affairs State Minister Kanaka Herath.

The UK firm was selected following the issuance of an Expression of Interest and subsequent Request for Proposal.

The SLPA used a portion of the ADB-funded Transport Project Preparatory Facility for the feasibility study. The duration of the study is expected to be 15 months.

The SLPA said the development of the Port of Colombo had focused on the demand for container Transshipment and related logistics businesses instead of the growth of the domestic market. As the Port of Colombo is situated within the commercial hub of Colombo, finding an area for container transshipment and logistical development was a challenging issue for the port industry.

The South Port of Colombo had planned to cater to container transshipment demand from the Indian subcontinent and having any other commodity terminal services in the South Port of Colombo is inappropriate.

As the energy demand of the country increases rapidly with large developments taking place in Colombo, the requirement of a terminal facility for the importation of Liquefied Natural Gas to Colombo is a mandatory requirement. Furthermore, considering that gas ships require a sheltered area and existing berth occupancy and usage at the Port of Colombo was already congested, there was discussion over the need to have another sheltered area adjoining the Port of Colombo.

The South Port of Colombo predominately focuses on transshipment and domestic container handling. The capacity of the Port of Colombo within the existing breakwaters is around 12 million TEU per annum. The extension of the West Container Terminal brings the capacity of the Port of Colombo into the range of 15 million TEU. This has been planned for the next 10 years, for which a feasibility and detailed technical study have been completed and are ready to be implemented. 

The SLPA needs a long-term plan for the next 30 years to enhance the additional capacity needed for a container handing capacity of around 35 million TEU. Considering these issues, the SLPA has planned to develop a new port, the Colombo North Port, in the northern side of the existing Port of Colombo. The proposed Colombo North Port may spread from the Kelani River in the Modara area, up to the existing northern breakwater of the Colombo Port. The SLPA intends to use the proposed Colombo North Port for liquid bulk, dry bulk, Ro Ro and containers. The North Port is set to be implemented in stages depending on demand. The SLPA is focused on providing infrastructure facilities and port servicers well ahead of demand.

The agreement was signed by SLPA Chairman General Daya Ratnayake, SLPA Managing Director Captain Athula Hewavitharana and Regional Director Ralph Lionel Phillips, the authorised representative of AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd. Furthermore, AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd. Technical Director Peter Neville Jones also participated in the event.