Sri Lanka to buy electric gantries, prime movers for Colombo Port
EconomyNext: Sri Lanka Port Authority has been given the go ahead by the cabinet of ministers to buy 7 rubber-tyred gantry cranes and also call tenders for 20 electric prime movers to be used in Colombo Port.
The 7 rubber-tyred gantries will be used in the East Container Terminal and Jaya container terminals.
The Colombo Port at the moment had 119 prime movers and terminal tractors operating inside the port. About 60 are more than 20 years old.
In 2023 the cabinet had given the go ahead to buy 20 terminal tractors but the Board of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority had decided to buy 20 electric prime movers instead.
The SLPA had provided 1,000 billion rupees in its 2025/26 budget for the purpose.
OSL take:
The maritime industry has become one of the fastest growing industries in the country with Sri Lanka targeting on becoming a maritime hub in the region. The country’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean, the many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed with many foreign countries and the increasing business conducive environment have all made Sri Lanka an emerging business destination in the South Asian region and much closer to the target of becoming a maritime hub. All these factors have contributed to the overall expansion in business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and related sectors. These sectors include ports, shipping and logistics. The need to further develop and uplift the country’s ports, shipping and logistics sectors to be on par with the fast-evolving global maritime industry has expanded the business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s overall maritime industry. The growth and profits recorded by local businesses engaged in the maritime industry and related sectors as well as the interest shown by many foreign businesses/investors to explore and engage in the local industry are all indicative of the growth and business potential of Sri Lanka’s maritime industry. The Sri Lankan government has also initiated many development programmes targeting the local maritime industry to capacitate the industry with the required infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities needed to meet the increasing demand. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore confidently explore the fast expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s maritime industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250625/Z_1 |