Six parties eye SLPA’s 3 acre land in Colombo Port
More than six companies are eyeing the 3-acre land at Colombo Port, advertised by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).
Informed sources said that representatives of some parties including McLarens Group, Aitken Spence and Prima Group inspected these lands late last month. The SLPA called for a tender to develop them last month in order to raise cash to fund the East Container Terminal.
The call for the bid was by the Chairman, Departmental Procurement Committee (DPC), SLPA on behalf of the SLPA Chairman to lease out these lands for port related industries. The Tender Guideline document issued by the SLPA Chief Manager (Logistics) was to close on Wednesday but SLPA officials said that this was extended till January 15. Prospective buyers made a site visit on January 31. They were taken in a bus and shown the three sites in a visit that lasted nearly two hours, sources said.
The SLPA has requested from potential buyers a detailed description of the intended operation at the premises, a draft project implementation plan, a financial analysis report and an executive summary explaining the continuity, sustainability and viability of the intended project. The state agency decided to internally fund the East Container Terminal on its own as the plan to calls for outside operators has stalled.