Colombo Port’s new warehouse to be opened today

Colombo Port has taken several steps to expand warehouse facilities. Under the first phase, Sri Lanka Ports Authority stated that warehouse CFS 01 which was constructed, is to be opened by the President Maithripala Sirisena today for the 37th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. 

This 5400 square meters warehouse was built targeting operations of half-full cargo transshipment operations and cargo operations.
“Through opening this container operation warehouse center, we expect to further expand, operation facilities of inland half-full cargo operations and operation facilities of transshipment of cargo which are imported and export from various countries. Currently by the use of modern technology, construction activities of the container operation center are happening. Thought this the Ports Authority expects to achieve a number of benefits,” Sri Lanka Ports Authority Service Delivery Director, Upali De Soysa added.

The Port Authority’s main center where container operations are taken place was completely destroyed by a fire in May 2013. After this terrible incident Sri Lanka Ports Authority was facing major difficulties in storing and on continuing on cargo operations. As a solution to these problems, the new warehouse facility expansion project was started under the guidance of the current Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dammika Ranathunga. The specialty is that this warehouse is done by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s Contracts and Planning Division. Sri Lanka Ports Authority therefore, said that by this Sri Lanka Ports Authority was able to save a lot of money. Sri Lanka Ports Authority consists of 25 divisions. Minister of Ports and Shipping Arjuna Ranathunga has advised that all the effort of these 25 divisions should be taken for the benefit of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. And further the Minister declared that on that basis, contacts of numerous constructions and services should not be carried out by external parties and those should be done by those specific divisions. 
According to this vision, the new warehouse was built with the use of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s technology and manpower. Because of these reasons, the Sri Lankan Ports Authority stated they spent Rs.95 million for only the goods needed to construct the new warehouse. Currently all the furniture manufacturing, warehouse constructions and daily maintenance are carried out by Sri Lanka Ports Authority alone.