Colombo Port commissions first section of East Terminal

30 April 2015 03:04 am

The first section of the East Terminal of the Colombo Port was opened recently by Minister of Ports and Aviation Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said in a statement. 
The total length of the East Terminal is 1200m. At present, construction activities of 400m out of the total length have been completed.  SLPA’s investment through local inputs is US $ 80 million.  
Meanwhile, the terminal has a draft of 18m. This would allow conventional cargo vessels with a higher draft to be operated at the terminal until the TEU operational machinery and cranes arrive at the new terminal for TEU operations. 
At present, in international maritime transportation, both TEU and conventional cargo vessel operators are taking steps to utilize mega vessels with higher drafts to obtain maximum benefits from the economies of scale.  
Accordingly, local agents of conventional cargo vessels have pointed out the SLPA management the importance and necessity of facilitating mega conventional cargo vessels with higher drafts at the Port of Colombo. 
Fulfilling such requirements the first ever such mega conventional cargo vessel MV XIN HONG BAOSHI of vessel operator COSCO called at the Port of Colombo on April 27, 2015.