The construction work on the breakwater of the new port is under way and the government is about to call for tenders to build the new port's container terminals
Maersk is one of Colombo's biggest customers and also has a stake in the privatised South Asia Gateway Terminals container facility.
The Maersk group did not bid when bids for the container terminal project were called initially.
The tenders for the project were first called last year but cancelled when the government could not decide between the two top contenders, PSA International and Hutchison Port Holdings of Hong Kong.