"This is going to be green port," he said. "We're going to use solar power for all street lighting. It will be an environmentally-friendly port."

Wickrama said the SLPA was also studying the potential for using wind power for some of the port's other power needs.

Already a few wind power turbines are operating on a trial basis next to the port.

Wickrama also said construction work on Hambantota port, at the southern tip of the island, near the main East-West trade route, is ahead of schedule with the first phase expected to be over by October 2010.

That will allow the port to handle general cargo vessels as well as supply bunker fuel for vessels.

Wickrama said the port and the new Hambantota city next to it will be built in a well-planned manner to avoid the problems created by unplanned development and illegal construction in Colombo.

Provision will be made at the design stage itself for renewable energy supply and environmentally-friendly use of resources and waste disposal.

"We plan to generate electricity from waste as well," Wickrama said in a presentation on the progress of construction work and business opportunities available once the port is built at a seminar organised by the Sri Lanka Shippers' Council.

Wickrama said enough water supply was available now for the port and an adjacent airport project in Hambantota, which is in the dry zone and suffers from water shortages.

"In future, we plan to set up a desalination plant for water for port users," he said.