By: Staff Writer
June 10, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka aims to complete 50% of construction at the East Container Terminal (ECT) in Colombo Port by the end of 2025, though full completion is now expected in 2027 due to repeated delays, according to Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Minister Bimal Rathnayake.
Speaking in Parliament recently , the Minister cited corruption and political interference as primary reasons for the delay. Originally scheduled for completion in 2026, the ECT project began sluggishly, despite being declared a special development initiative under full ownership of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).
However, controversy has emerged around the project’s stagnation. Shyamal Sumanaratna, co-convener of the Port Trade Union Joint Alliance, alleged that a senior Port Regulatory Authority official is deliberately allowing the terminal to deteriorate. At a press briefing in Colombo, Sumanaratna revealed that multiple attempts to inform the Minister about these concerns were ignored.
He claimed that tenders for essential equipment, such as straddle carriers, have been cancelled for over eight months without reissue—potentially benefiting rival terminals. The delay means even if a new tender is called now, it would take more than a year to import the necessary equipment.
Sumanaratna also disputed the President’s announcement that the ECT would be operational by the end of June, asserting it would realistically take at least another 18 months. He warned that whistleblowing union leaders face disciplinary actions and transfers, but vowed to continue speaking out despite the risks.
The ECT, once completed, will include a 1,400-metre jetty capable of handling three large vessels simultaneously, supported by 12 gantry cranes and 40 transfer cranes. The terminal will span 75 hectares and handle up to three million containers annually, with semi-automated and digital operations. Contractors China Engineering and Access Engineering are tasked with completing the $585 million project.
Meanwhile, the Central Expressway Project (CEP)—another key national infrastructure effort—has also suffered from years of stalled construction. Originally launched in 2020 as a four-year initiative, the CEP has cost Sri Lanka over Rs. 55 billion in penalties due to delays.
In Parliament, Minister Rathnayake condemned the CEP’s mismanagement, calling it “a theft, a fraud, and a tragedy.” The expressway, which stretches 136.9 km from Kadawatha to Dambulla in four sections, has seen only Section 2 (Mirigama to Kurunegala) fully completed.
The Road Development Authority (RDA) stated that work on Section 3 (Pothuhera to Galagedara) is progressing steadily and is expected to be completed by 2026. Preliminary work on Section 1 is ongoing, while Section 4 remains in early planning.
The CEP includes 14 interchanges, three of which are system interchanges, and 12 service interchanges to improve regional connectivity. Despite setbacks, officials assert that both the ECT and CEP remain high-priority projects in the government’s infrastructure agenda.
