A number of 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 on the 30^th December 2009 with the vessel ‘MT HEAVAN.’ 

According to the instructions by His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and under  supervision of Hon. Minister of Port and Aviation Chamal Rajapaksa, Hon. Minister of Port Development Dilan Perera and the Chairman of SLPA and the Jaya Container Terminals Limited that acts as a 100% share holder of SLPA,  Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, 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  latest project  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, in a more efficient and productive manner, from Colombo Port to the oil storage tanks of the Colombo oil Banks managed by the Jaya Container Terminals Limited.  

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. Currently, steps have also been taken to construct two new oil storage tanks at the Colombo oil bank premises to boost the capacity in order to improve the bunkering facilities at Colombo Port. The projects will further assist the developments at the Colombo Port as a maritime and logistics hub in the entire region. (CPRD31122009)