A key milestone was reached this week as the Colombo Port City officially handed over its newly built office complex to primary operators in a ceremonial event that signals the beginning of commercial operations in the Port City’s Special Economic Zone.
The event was graced by senior officials and stakeholders including Mr. Chen Zhong, Deputy General Manager of China Communications Construction Group (CCCC), Mr. Harsha Amarasekara, Chairman of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC), Mr. Bai Yinjan, Chairman of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena, Director General (Corporate Affairs) of the Ministry of Finance, and Mr. Xiong Hongfeng, Managing Director of CHEC Colombo Port City Pvt Ltd. They were joined by representatives of CCCC, CHEC, and tenants of the business complex.
Construction of the Colombo Port City Business Centre began in March 2024. Designed to be a leading IT and commercial hub in South Asia, the complex consists of nine buildings, including a business center and an IT park, created to foster innovation, collaboration, and corporate growth. Already, 80% of its office space has been leased to authorized individuals and entities approved by the CPCEC for business operations within the Special Economic Zone.
CHEC, a subsidiary of the global giant CCCC, invested $5 million as direct foreign investment in the business center. CCCC, a Fortune 500 company with a presence in 145 countries and a workforce exceeding 120,000, has been engaged in Sri Lankan infrastructure development since 1998. Through its subsidiary CHEC, the Colombo Port City project marks the company’s most ambitious and historic initiative in Sri Lanka to date. The overarching vision is to develop Colombo Port City into a leading regional hub that attracts global investors, generates employment, and facilitates knowledge transfer.
So far, CHEC has invested $1.4 billion in the Port City project, making it the largest foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka’s history and the most significant public-private partnership the nation has ever witnessed.
The handover of the Business Centre to its key stakeholders also marks the formal launch of commercial operations within the Special Economic Zone. With tenants preparing to commence their operations, the business center is poised to become one of South Asia’s most prestigious and dynamic locations for investment, entrepreneurship, and corporate activities.
Tenants operating as authorized persons in the SEZ will enjoy numerous advantages, including both financial and non-financial incentives. These include tax exemptions, duty-free imports, relaxed foreign exchange regulations, and streamlined administrative procedures via a single-window investment facilitation framework.
The launch of business activities at the Colombo Port City is expected to generate momentum in the Sri Lankan economy and boost investor confidence in the country’s long-term growth prospects. As the center evolves, it is set to mirror successful global economic zones such as Dubai and Singapore.
Port City Colombo continues to position itself as a revolutionary project in Sri Lanka’s economic landscape—promising not just world-class infrastructure, but also a new standard of governance, business transparency, and investment security.
To learn more about investment opportunities in Colombo Port City, visit www.portcitycolombo.lk. For single-window investment services and regulatory guidelines, visit www.portcitycolombo.gov.lk.
