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The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has published a project brief for the East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo port.

According to the project brief, the request for proposals is scheduled to be launched in 3Q 2016 and the proposals for the project would be submitted by 4Q 2016. The preferred bidder is expected to be announced in 1Q 2017.

This announcement comes after the SLPA launched, in February, a request for expression of interest (RFEOI) to carry out the project. Additionally the Asian Development Bank (ADB) confirmed the appointment of its Office of Public-Private Partnership (OPPP) as transaction advisor for the project.

The project will be developed under a 35 year build, operation and transfer (BOT) basis. The selected bidder will be responsible for the design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of the new facilities.The selected bidder will have to:

• provide a competitive port facility to Sri Lanka with deep water berth (18.0 – 20.0m) and add capacity of 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU)
• improve the port’s value proposition to global shipping lines and increase its market share in the global transshipment market
• develop the remaining 760 m of deep water berth and the rest of the terminal
• Manage and operate the whole terminal

The ETC will have 1,200 m of linear quay wall with reclamation behind for the container yard, terminal buildings and other facilities. Based on the estimation of SLPA, development of the entire terminal is expected to cost approximately US$ 500 million.

SLPA has developed a 600 meter quay wall with berthing facility for 440 meter stretch supported by a 125 meter wide wharf with all the furniture for installation of STS cranes and built suitably for efficient ship to shore transfer operations. Additionally, a 18 hectare yard including 2,400 TEU ground slots has been designed and built to meet industry standard for Electric Rubber Tired Gantry (bus bar connectivity) suitable for operation with provision of equipment. Further, in and out gate complex has been built with weighbridges and other related accessories with the road connectivity for smooth cargo operation. The facilities for power supply, water supply, and fire protection have also been developed.

SLPA is currently proceeding with the procurement of machinery for the existing berth. 4 Nos of 65T Ship to Shore (STS) twin lift cranes with a 30m rail span, 70m outreach with a clear height of 50m from rail to spreader, and 12 Nos of Electric Rubber Tired Gantry (ERTG) cranes to handle yard containers with a span of 23.47 m will be procured and installed on the initial development part of the ECT.

Traffic for Colombo Port is expected to reach 10 million TEU by 2023. Since 2004, the South Asian container market has grown by an average 12% per annum. South Asian gateway traffic transshipped through the Colombo Port is well above 10% over the same period.