The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said that renovation of the Kankasanthurai port is a “tough task” in view of the current ongoing projects in four other ports in the country.

The government has expressed interest in opening up the Kankasanthurai port following the capture of some key areas, SLPA Acting Chairman Priyath Bandu Wickrama said.

In an interview with the Daily Financial Times he said that they were currently discussing the development of the harbour and believed it would take some time in view of the security clearance required in this respect from the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).The opening of this harbour would be carried out in a bid to ensure that essential commodities are being transported to the North and East for which currently facilities are not in place, the acting chairman stated.

The required improvement has been called for by the government as they have come up with plans to ensure that the port will be operational and in full gear before the end of this year.

It was mentioned that currently the SLPA is engaged in work relating to the inspection of the breakwater of the port while at the same time conducting discussion with the SLN in addition to yard and road renovation.

SLPA is expected to obtain monetary assistance from the Treasury for the renovation work at the Kankasanthurai port. Meanwhile, the SLPA is gearing up to call for tenders for the Colombo South Port next month. He noted that the first tender was cancelled in view of the “national interest”.

The Colombo Port Expansion Project (CPEP) as it is referred to, is currently in progress, Wickrama observed adding that they were engaged in dredging work parallel to which they were building the breakwater.

The progress on the CPEP is lagging due to the policies adopted previously if not it should have completed work in 2007, it was pointed out. In the meantime, the Hambantota port is progressing according to the scheduled time which would be operational by mid 2010 while the CPEP is expected to be in operation by 2011/12, Wickrama said.

Construction work on the Oluvil port has commenced while tenders for the construction of the Galle port is currently under evaluation.

“We are planning to start construction by end October,” he said.
(DM-26082008)