• $ 62 m Indian grant to fund KKS Port redevelopment
• SLPA confirms major renovations needed before port operations commence
• Future operational model of KKS Port yet to be finalised

The Sri Lankan and Indian Governments are presently finalising a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the renovation and subsequent operation of the Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) reveals. 

Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, SLPA Chairman Admiral (Retd) Sirimevan Ranasinghe stated that it was necessary to carry out extensive renovations at the Kankesanthurai Port prior to the commencement of operations.

Accordingly, he revealed that the Sri Lankan and Indian Governments were engaged in discussions at present to finalise the terms of an MOU for the renovation and subsequent operation of the Kankesanthurai Port.

“An MOU is being studied between the Sri Lankan and Indian Governments. The Kankesanthurai Port requires many developments and the port has to be renovated prior to the commencement of operations. Therefore, this MOU is for the renovation and subsequent operations of the port,” he stated.

However, the SLPA Chairman refused to provide any further specifics regarding the matter, claiming that it was not appropriate to comment on the matter considering that both Governments were presently engaged in discussions to that end. 

Nevertheless, responding to a question posed by The Sunday Morning Business, he admitted that the renovation of the Kankesanthurai Port would be funded by a $ 62 million grant provided by the Indian Government.

Addressing how the operations of the port would be carried out, he stated that no decision had been made yet with regard to the exact modalities of its operations, adding that it was too premature to comment. 

The previous Government in 2020 decided to position the KKS Port as a main commercial port in Sri Lanka, announcing that the development of the port would be carried out using financial assistance from India. Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance and the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of India signed an agreement in this regard in January 2018.