Investors visit Magampura Port Project

by Shirajiv SIRIMANE

A team of local and foreign entrepreneurs visited the Magampura Port to explore the business ventures and investment opportunities last week.

These entrepreneurs also participated at a presentation on the initiative of the Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Dr. Priyath B.Wickrama, at the Peacock Beach hotel on investment and business ventures available at the fast developing Magampura and suburbs parallel to the Magampura Port. Chairman of UDA, Janaka Kurukulasuriya, Chief Engineer of the Southern Port Development Project Agil Hewageegana and the Deputy Project Director (Tank Farm Project).P.A.R.D.Pathiraja were also present.

A fullyfledged Bunkering facility and a Tank Farm project will also be constructed at Magampura Port with 14 tanks. Eight tanks out of the 14 will be utilised for bunkering while the other six will be utilised with three each for aviation fuel and LPG tanks.

Two land areas of 200 metres distance of the quay and 1.5-2.0 kilometres distance to the quay have also been identified suitable for business ventures as well.

Under the phase one of the project a navigation channel about 1 kilometre long, 230 metre wide and 16m deep will be constructed enabling it to accommodate vessels up to 100,000 DWT.

The 600 metre long quay being constructed will be for two berths for most of the expected ship sizes. A Service berth of 105 metres long at 5 metre depth, a 310 metres long Oil terminal and 300 metres dolphin quay and administrative and service facilities are also being constructed while fire fighting, water, electricity and telecommunication services will also be provided under the first phase of the project.

Under the phase II of the Magampura Port Development Project, the additional quay length of approximately 2500 metres will be constructed, while the development of yard area of approximately 160 hectares will be done. With the final stage of the port around 33 ships would be accommodated with the latest and state-of-the-art berthing facilities.

Another facility under phase two is that investment and business ventures will be available for the cement grinding plant, cement storage and bagging plant, fertiliser storage processing bagging plant, LP gas distribution facility, warehousing facility, vehicle assembling plant, flour mill, food processing and packaging and also many other businesses related to import and export sector. China Huanqiu Contracting and Engineering Corporation works as the contractor of the project and the total project cost will be US$ 361 million.