Hambanthota harbor, Sri Lanka.

After the Hambatota harbor was created- carved out from mainly rock within the land, there was a lull in activity.

The harbor does look deceptively small till one notices the micro visual size of lorries far away.

10,000 acres( 12 Sq miles) are already secured for expansion expected to go on for 10 years as per demand.

By now, every month, thousands of vehicles are transshipped to other countries.

Some, mainly used vehicles  are landed and driven away to other areas in Sri Lanka.

A boon to shift the heavy load away from Colombo Port. As it is 50 % of GDP is created in the western province.

Unless a better balance is created with the other areas in the country, every person would trek to this province doing Dick Whittingtons to Colombo.

Pity the harbor was not begun earlier.  

To refresh your minds the plan for the harbor was almost about to begin in 1997 in Chandrika’s time, everything finalized. Then a Singaporean bird flew in, met the officials here and possibly met higher ones. There was sudden death to the project from that visit.

We gather that the decision was stopped with a great plan to alternately develop the Galle harbor.

And the contract to develop that harbor had gone to a Singaporean firm!

Today Galle harbor sits still !!

jksw

Colombo Port itself is expanding to 6 times its size with a highly visible 6Km bund or jetty  an imposing sight.

jksw

Subject: Fwd: Fw: Fwd: Fw: First passenger vessel at MRMRP port

• Article rank
• 27 Dec 2013
• Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

First passenger vessel at MRMRP port

The luxury cruise liner MV Voyager called at Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) in Hambantota recently, creating history as the first cruise vessel to call at the port.

MV Voyager calling MRMRP in Hambantota

The vessel arrived with 365 passengers and 224 crew and was under the Command of Capt. Neil Broomhall. At Hambanthota, passengers visited the port and Hambanthota city during her 11 hour stay at the Port and their tour was operated by M/S Raffles Leisure (PVT) LTD.

The cruise liner was en route from Dubai, Oman, India and arrived Sri Lanka where she first called the Passenger Terminal of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) in Colombo on 18/12/2013 for 02 overnights from where sailed to Hambanthota and headed towards the east coast of India. According to Ceyline Shipping Ltd., the agents for MV Voyager, their principals have scheduled calls at MRMRP in Hambantota on a long term basis due to the developments in the Sri Lankan ports sector.