Steps have been taken and strengthened by Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to expand the operations of oil tankers at the Colombo Port. The New North Pier developed as a multi purpose berth to handle oil tankers launched its first handling of such operations with the vessel ‘MT HAVEN.’
According to the instructions by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and under the supervision of Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister of Port and Aviation, Dilan Perera, Minister of Port Development, Dr Priyath B Wickrama, Chairman of SLPA and the Jaya Container Terminals, a new oil pump pipe line system has been constructed with all affiliated facilities from the New North Pier up to the South Jetty for oil transportation. With this, all extra berthing facilities will be provided for the oil tankers reaching Colombo for bunkering purposes. The new process will further elevate the oil transportation from Colombo Port to the oil storage tanks of the Colombo oil Banks.
It was noted that it is a specialty that all constructions of the project are planed and carried out by the engineers and the staff of SLPA. It is expected to boost the flow of foreign exchange to Sri Lanka through a competitive bunkering service at Colombo Port following the completion of the whole project. The projects will further assist the developments at the Colombo Port as a maritime and logistics hub in the entire region.
