At a special inspection visit to the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) on Tuesday (27), Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva instructed that the stalled development activities of the expansion work at the terminal located in the Colombo Port be expedited, and thereby directed Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Ministry Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra to immediately notify the Chinese company in charge of the reclamation and the construction of the terminal to accomplish all activities on time as agreed.

The JCT is the oldest terminal solely owned by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the total expansion and construction of which will utilise $ 32 million that will be fully facilitated through Port savings. 

The JCT, presently with a length of 1,260 m, will be extended to 1,380 m after the completion of the ongoing expansion, enabling two 360-metre vessels to berth simultaneously. At present, the JCT operates 2,000,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) per annum, which will be increased by an additional 1,000,000 TEUs after the completion of the construction, Port employees emphasised. 

Accordingly, the constructions at the East Container Terminal (ECT) are also underway, parallel to the expansion work of the JCT.

“During the next five years, South Asia will recognise the Port of Colombo as a unique Port in the region,” de Silva said.

He also thanked trade union leaders for their support extended to the development of the Colombo Port.