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NPP Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake
National People’s Power (NPP) Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake has outlined a plan to develop the Trincomalee oil tank complex if elected. Speaking at a rally in Kantale on Tuesday, Dissanayake unveiled his vision for the project, which involves a joint venture between the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) and a foreign investor.
Dissanayake proposed constructing a new refinery in Trincomalee and setting up fuel export operations through Trincomalee Port. He said the complex, which houses 99 tanks each with a 10,000-ton capacity, totals 1 million tons of storage. He also noted that this capacity far exceeds current requirements, positioning Sri Lanka to potentially become an oil-exporting nation.
Under his plan, refined fuel would be stored in these tanks and exported via the port.
Dissanayake pointed out that the CPC alone cannot manage this ambitious project. Instead, he envisions a revitalisation of the complex through a partnership with a foreign investor.
He stressed that the existing oil tanks are underutilised and, with the right strategy, can be effectively brought back into operation.