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Colombo Port Expansion
Project (CPEP) launched by the Government of
Sri Lanka following a very comprehensive
study of the Port of Colombo and to develop
South Port area, in order to cater for the
increasing demands of services in the
international shipping industry, is in full
progress under the two phases the project
was planned to reach accomplishment.
In a special inspection tour at the
construction site of the CPEP recently,
Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA)
Dr. Priyath B.Wickrama said that the project
would change the economic situation in Sri
Lanka as a number of investors would be here
for the investments while a number of
employment opportunities would also be
generated. " We are working our best to
convert Sri Lanka to a major global hub
altogether with the skills of our experts as
well as the facilities and resources
available in the country", he said.
Under phase one of the project Harbour
Infrastructure work such as the construction
of the 6.83km length Breakwater and dredging
the new harbour basin and the navigation
channel as well as the re-routing of crude
oil pipe line will be accomplished while the
construction of Terminals and other related
services has been identified under phase
two.
The total estimated cost of construction of
Harbour Infrastructure works is US Dollars
330 million. And the first South Container
Terminal will be constructed under BOT
terms.
The Asian Development Bank and Sri Lanka
Ports Authority Jointly finance the project
of infrastructure works. Construction work
of the project officially commenced on
11th
April 2008 and is scheduled to be
completed within 48 months. Meanwhile, the
selection of a port operator for the South
Container Terminal is in process and it will
also be completed at the completion of the
Harbour Infrastructure works in April 2012.
The construction of the breakwater by
placing of core material and outer
protection layers of its first 2100 m
length has been successfully completed up to
date while the rock transportation by sea
from load Out Point (Small Harbour) located
at Wadduwa in Kalutara is also successfully
continued during the calm weather. Around
15- 20 barges transport the rock materials
to Colombo for a week. The dredging of the
main channel for the use of dredged sand in
the core of the breakwater and in the
filling of contractor’s working area is in
progress satisfactorily while more than 13
million Cubic meters have been completed by
now.
The re-laying of the submarine crude oil
pipeline pipe line has been commenced in
January 2010 and currently, a 9 Km length
has also been completed successfully. This
work will be completed in April 2010.
The overall progress is assessed at about
22% while the financial proposal for the
South Container Terminal of the CPEP has
been opened and evaluation is in progress.
(CMRD-17032010) |
