Cornerstone is a proposed green hydrogen-powered, zero-emission heavy freight system for the Port of Colombo, designed to replace diesel dependence while achieving cost competitiveness without operating subsidies. The project integrates renewable energy, green hydrogen production, a dedicated container yard and a fleet of hydrogen fuel-cell heavy vehicles under a Transport-as-a-Service model. Its integrated structure addresses the high cost of green hydrogen by using solar-powered infrastructure and container-yard revenues to reduce fuel costs, while specialised high-capacity trailers improve transport productivity. Cornerstone will reduce diesel imports and emissions, strengthen energy security and create safer, formal employment. As a national Pathfinder project, it is designed as a scalable model for decarbonising heavy freight and other hard-to-abate transport sectors.
Project overview
Investment opportunity
Investment types sought
Project status
Development stage
Feasibility & due diligence
Additional project information
- Lead agency
- Ministry of Power and Energy/ Lanka Energy Security Initiative
Expected impact
555
Jobs created / supported
Economic & development benefits
- Cornerstone will establish a commercially viable zero-emission heavy-freight model at Colombo Port, generating economic, energy-security and social benefits
- It is expected to replace approximately 2.8 million litres of diesel imports annually, reducing foreign-exchange outflows and fossil-fuel dependence
- Integrated solar, hydrogen and port-yard operations are designed to achieve cost parity without operating subsidies, while specialised 4-TEU trailers increase freight productivity
- The project will create approximately 105 direct and 450 indirect jobs, with port drivers and logistics workers benefiting from formal employment, living wages, EPF/ETF social protection and regulated working hours
- It will also strengthen local technical skills and reduce pressure on the national electricity grid
Climate & resilience benefits
- Cornerstone directly supports Sri Lanka’s NDC ambition to reduce GHG emissions by 2035 and achieve Net-Zero by 2050 by decarbonising heavy port logistics and replacing diesel prime movers with green hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles
- This will reduce carbon emissions and harmful PM2.5 air pollution in Colombo
- The integrated renewable-energy and hydrogen system also strengthens operational resilience: a 2,000 kg hydrogen storage buffer provides approximately 5.2 days of operational cover during periods of low solar availability, while rainwater harvesting and a 173 m³ purified-water reserve support electrolyser operation during dry periods
- An island-mode microgrid reduces reliance on the national grid
Contact
Contact team
For more information about this project, please contact the Commonwealth Investment Platform team.