MONETABRIEF – Sri Lanka is planning to bring a foreign investor to run the East Container Terminal of the Colombo port by selling equity to a foreign investor through an operating company, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.
"We decided to set up a company to manage the ECT and sell shares to private investors while keeping the ownership with the government," President Dissanayake told the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
The ECB now handles around 500,000 containers, though it can handle 3.2 million a year.
"With each passing day, we fail to make full use of a resource," President Dissanayake said.
"Very strong international shipping companies are interested. We would be able to bring an very good international shipping line to manage the East Terminal."
There is potential for Colombo port to be made into a broader logistics hub.
There is a plan to tender land for a logistics firm. (Colombo/Oct12/2026)