Expressions of interest have been called from private investors to develop the Trincomalee Port as an industrial port, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Prasantha Jayamanne said today.
“There are 2400 hectares of land in Trincomalee Port and we have called for expressions of interest from the potential investors to develop it as an industrial port. We are mainly focusing on local investors,” Jayamanne told a press conference.
At the same time Mr. Jayamanne and heads of private terminals and a major stakeholder Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents claimed that Colombo Port is functioning smoothly despite the FOREX issue.
“We have decided to allow local customers who face issues to make payments in rupees instead of dollars,” he said. The SLPA earlier notified all customers to make payments in dollars. He said this concession will be given to local customers only.
Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA) Chairperson Shehara de Silva said the member companies of the association had not received any complaint about the port to date.
“Colombo Port is not about container distribution but other services are also carried out by it,” she said.
Chief Operating Officer South Asia Gate Terminal (SAGT) Romesh David said the Port and the SAGT are functioning smoothly despite minor setbacks.
SLPA claimed that Colombo Port had achieved a 4.3% growth in terms of TEU (containers and a 5% growth in transshipment in 2021 and the SLPA Chairman assured that the Port will achieve a growth this year as well.