New EPCC Project to Modernise Colombo–Kolonnawa Fuel Pipeline ⛽

• The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a new EPCC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Carry On) project to upgrade the critical petroleum pipeline system linking Colombo Port and the Kolonnawa refinery. • The decision terminates a previously failed procurement process and addresses serious safety and reliability concerns stemming from the current five-decade-old pipelines, which suffer from frequent leaks and structural weaknesses. • The project scope includes: • Laying two new land pipelines (18-inch & 14-inch) from the Dolphin Oil Tanker Jetty to Kolonnawa. • Installing a 12-inch undersea pipeline to the Seram Gate. • Necessary upgrades to the Colombo Port and Kolonnawa refinery terminals. • This initiative is expected to significantly enhance the safety, capacity, and reliability of petroleum transportation in the Western Province, critically strengthening the national fuel supply chain.