Ports Minister Anura Karunathilaka has rejected speculation that the government has decided to privatise the East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Port of Colombo, insisting no formal move has been made despite continuing engagement with prospective investors.
“As a Government, we have not told investors not to submit proposals. We are engaging in discussions with interested parties, but no policy decision has been taken,” Karunathilaka told reporters on Monday.
He added that any strategic decision on the ECT would first be discussed with port workers, trade unions and other stakeholders to ensure the outcome benefits the national economy, the port sector and the broader public.
The Minister dismissed recent claims circulating in political circles and the media that a privatisation plan was already underway. “No proposal related to the privatisation of the ECT has been discussed at the Cabinet, within the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, at the Ministry, or at any other formal Government level,” he said.
The ECT is one of three deep-water terminals at Colombo Port and has been at the centre of repeated investor disputes since the 2021 Adani decision was reversed. The terminal remains operated by the state through SLPA, distinct from the adjacent West Container Terminal Phase II, for which an EOI process is currently running with a 2026 closing deadline.
Karunathilaka’s denial follows recent record handling figures from Colombo Port — 761,096 TEUs in April 2026, up 22% year-on-year — which have raised investor interest in the terminal’s revenue potential and prompted political opponents to question whether a backroom deal is in motion.
