The ECT operations have been carried out with cranes fitted in that were smaller in scale and meant for the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT).
Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Keith Bernard said that they have ordered 12 cranes from China and six of which are due between this year December and February 2024.
In the meantime, despite recent reports that Japan was likely to take over the offer on the ECT, however, Mr. Bernard rejected it.
He noted that this was not possible due to the clause in place that forms part of the agreement between the West Container Terminal’s Adani Group investor and the SLPA that for the next seven years there cannot be another new investor coming into the port.
He also explained that they expect to achieve around 7 million TEUs by the end of this year.
It was pointed out that a marginal drop in volumes was noted upto June this year but since then the numbers have seen an improvement. Mr. Bernard pointed out that the drop in volumes was due to the global economic crisis, the Ukraine war and the local import restrictions in place.
