Sri Lanka is currently seeking collaborations with shipping companies to enhance the capabilities of the East Container Terminal (ECT), which is managed by the state-owned Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). According to Port Minister Anura Karunathilaka, at least five prominent international shipping lines have shown interest in forming a partnership.
The ECT represents a significant deep-water project located within the Port of Colombo. It aims to increase the transshipment capacity of one of South Asia’s busiest maritime centers, specifically designed to accommodate Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCVs).
During a media briefing on Saturday, Minister Karunathilaka stated, “We are considering a partnership with shipping lines. Already, 5 to 6 lines have expressed their interest.” He mentioned that the government plans to issue a call for expressions of interest following cabinet approval, with the goal of finalizing arrangements in the first half of the upcoming year.
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Once fully developed, the ECT will feature a quay wall length of 1,320 meters (approximately 4,330 feet) and a water depth of 18 to 20 meters. Initial operations at the terminal commenced with a 450-meter quay and a stacking yard that spans about 260,000 square meters.
Upon completion of all construction phases, the ECT is expected to handle between 2.4 million and 3 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) annually, thereby significantly increasing the Port of Colombo’s overall capacity beyond 7 million TEUs.
The investment required for the development of the ECT is projected to be between $500 million and $600 million. To facilitate high-density automated operations, the terminal will be outfitted with cutting-edge equipment, including 12 Ship-to-Shore (STS) Super-Post-Panamax quay cranes that can service mega-vessels up to 24 containers wide, as well as 40 Automated Rail-Mounted Gantry (ARMG) cranes for effective management of the container yard.
Strategically located along a key Indian Ocean shipping route that sees over $1 trillion in global trade each year, the ECT aims to meet the rising regional demand for deep-water berths suitable for vessels carrying between 18,000 and 22,000 TEUs.
Transshipment traffic constitutes approximately 75% to 80% of the total cargo handled at the Port of Colombo, with cargo originating from or destined for India accounting for more than 70% of these operations. This makes the ECT a vital component of the logistics framework for trade in South Asia.
