Port Project

Feb 10, 2011 (LBO) - Infrastructure work on a new container port next to Sri Lanka's existing Colombo harbour that will expand capacity has neared the halfway mark and is on schedule, officials said.





Deputy ports minister Rohitha Abeygunawardene said the construction of the breakwater and dredging of the harbour basin will be completed by April 2012.

"The new Colombo South Harbour that is being built will be three times bigger than the existing port," he told reporters taken for a site visit.

"The new port will help cement Colombo's position as south Asia's transhipment hub and make the island a maritime centre.

'

The infrastructure work is being done by South Korea's Hyundai.

Hyung Kim, project director, representing Hyundai, said much of the breakwater work has been completed along with most of the dredging to deepen the harbour basin and access channel for ships.

Two breakwaters are being built.

Kim said 4.15 kilometres of the main breakwater of 5.

1 kilometres has been completed along with 400 metres of the secondary breakwater which will have a length of 1.1 kilometres.

Of the total 19 million cubic metres of sand that had to be dredged under the project, 15 m