President flags off second phase of Colombo Port’s ECT

• Prime Minister says $ 510 m project slated for completion by 2024, will boost Sri Lanka further
• Urges people to have hope for better times in next 3 years

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday flagged off the construction work of the second phase of Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo Port along with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The President and the Prime Minister unveiled a plaque marking the commencement of construction work at the terminal.

Construction of the terminal, which will be conducted in three phases, is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

The terminal, which is spread over an area of 75 hectares, is 1,320 meters long. Once completed, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) will inherit a fully-fledged terminal equipped with 12 STC cranes that handle operations from ships to the land and 40 Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) Cranes.

“The total expenditure expected to be spent for the project is $ 510 million and the Ports Authority will spend $ 200 million,” a statement from the President’s Media Office said. 

“Access Engineering PLC and China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd. are jointly carrying out constructions,” it added.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa invited the people not to ponder on the previous two years lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic and keep hopes for the next three years instead. 

“The past has value only to the Opposition. We must always embrace the future, not the past,” Rajapaksa added.

He said that no one should give up hopes or optimistic thoughts that they have about the country, and that we should embrace the future, leaving the past two years to the critics.

The Port of Colombo is currently ranked 23rd in the world according to the Alphaliner's Ports Ranking. Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said the Port will be ranked 13th after the completion of the new development work.

The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, other religious leaders, cabinet and state ministers, governors, ambassadors, parliamentarians, people's representatives, and Government officials.