Lanka, new maritime hub of Indian Ocean

By Shirajiv Sirimane

Three decades ago, the Opposition including the JVP was crying 'Kolombata Kiri Apita Kekiri' meaning that development projects focused on Colombo and the suburbs while the South was ignored. This was the platform for the 1988/89 insurgency when thousands of people were killed. Today, the very same people are making a big hue and cry that 'every development project focuses on Hambantota!'

They have conveniently forgotten Gamata Karmantha, an initiative to set up industries outside the Western Province, Uthuru Wasanthaya and Negenahira Navodaya, schemes to speed up development in the North and the East and similar projects including the development of the rural road network. These elements have forgotten that international harbours are not only built in Hambantota, but that international harbours are being developed in Colombo, Galle, Trincomalee, Kankesanturai (KKS) and Oluvil.

Making the Mahinda Chinthana development policy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa a reality, to turn Sri Lanka in to the Regional Maritime Hub (with the advantage of its unique geographical location), the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) led by Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama under the instructions of Ports and Highways Deputy Minister, Rohitha Abeygunawardena has taken all key measures to develop ports around the country.

KKS harbour dredging completed

The first project undertaken in this regard was to construct a new harbour in Hambantota. Its Free trade Zone has already received local and international projects to the tune of over US$ 1.7 billion, clearly underlining its success. These include vehicle assembly plants, sugar refineries, cement and fertiliser bagging plants and many similar ventures.

Dr. Wickrama told the Sunday Observer that the installation of heavy machinery for the unloading of cargo would be completed by the end of the year and they would start bunkering facilities next month, bringing additional revenue to the Hambantota Port.

The development drive of the KKS Harbour commenced in parallel to the Uthuru Wasanthaya program with the outgoing High Commissioner of India Ashok K. Kantha participating in a brief ceremony at the harbour to mark the completion of dredging operations at its access channel, harbour basin and access channel for the proposed berth.

The dredging work was undertaken by Dredging Corporation of India (DCI), a public sector undertaking of the Indian Government. With the completion of dredging operations, four phases of the project, supported through grant assistance from the Indian Government to the tune of US$ 25 million, had been completed satisfactorily.

This had paved the way for the commencement of the rest of the work by the SLPA, under a concessional line of credit from the Indian Government.

The rehabilitation of the harbour would go a long way in developing the economic infrastructure in the Northern Province, support domestic as well as regional commerce and connectivity as well as paving the way for the exploitation of the KKS Harbour as a commercial port.The KKS rehabilitation is a complex and wide-ranging project, with multiple phases involving preliminary hydrographic survey in Phase I, geo-technical investigations and preparation of a detailed project report in Phase II, wreck removal and disposal in Phase III, dredging in Phase IV, rehabilitation of breakwater/pier and construction of a new pier with attendant port facilities in Phase V and final hydrographic survey and preparation of harbour chart in Phase VI. Phases V and VI would be executed through a concessional line of credit from the Indian Government to the Sri Lankan Government.The project scope of the KKS port development would mainly focus on the transportation of essential products and produce between the Southern and Northern regions, to feed the ongoing development activities in the region while enhancing co-operation between the neighbouring countries. It will also boost business activities and greatly contribute to regional socio-economic development as well.

The project is implemented by the SLPA with an estimated cost of US$ 44.7 million obtained under a state loan facility.

Yacht, shipbuilding facility in Galle

As a first step towards making the Galle Harbour the first tourist harbour in the region, an agreement was signed for the establishment of a yacht/leisure craft repair /shipbuilding facility at the Port of Galle.

The facility will be constructed with an estimated cost of US$ 44 million within 24 months. Hadi Hamam Group of Saudi Arabia is the investor of the project while Sea Gulf Shipyard (Pvt) Ltd (Sri Lanka) is the project proponent.

The ultimate objectives of the project are the design and construction of a syncrolift of 1,500 ton capacity to accommodate yachts and other pleasure craft and positioning a floating dock of 4,500 ton capacity on a temporary basis subject to 'Barge Fomentera' being removed from the Colsenburg Quay.

A warehouse will be leased for the working space and workshop. The land area in this regard is to be leased for 30 years, in line with the Land Alienation Policy of the SLPA. The SLPA will get the land lease payments, charges and royalty payments as an income to the port. A repair facility of yachts has been vital to promote the yacht marina in the Galle Port.

The establishment of a shipyard at the port will provide a number of direct and indirect employment opportunities for welders, fitters, carpenters, painters and other workers.

The repair facility in Galle will also attract a large number of vessels from Maldives, creating new business opportunities for Sri Lanka. Attracting direct foreign investments from Middle Eastern countries will also encourage other investors to consider further investment in Sri Lanka.

Development of Colombo, Trinco, Oluvil on course

The much awaited and long overdue Colombo Port expansion has been completed and the first cargo was unloaded. This was a crying need of the industry; without expansion, Sri Lanka was fast losing its maritime competitive edge in the region. The Trincomalee Port would have an investment zone which would attract local and foreign investors and cruise ships to patronise the port, which is one of the world's largest natural harbours.

A land area of 2,000 hectares owned by the SLPA will be used for this purpose and several tourism projects too are planned.

With the opening of the Oluvil Port, Sri Lanka would have five harbours around its waters and cargo ships could stop in any of the five locations, reducing the transport costs of carrying merchandise from Colombo to far away places. The Port has already received proposals to set up several factories. A cement factory and a fertiliser storage complex will also be constructed in the harbour premises in the future, which would help usher economic prosperity to the region. The Oluvil Port consists of two sections - commercial harbour and small craft harbour (fisheries harbour). The commercial harbour is eight metres in depth while the fisheries harbour is three metres in depth.

The commercial harbour comes with all related institutions and buildings such as warehouses, police station, generator and transformer building, communication centres and fuel storage facilities while the fisheries harbour consists of ice plants, cold room facilities and storage facilities for fishing equipment.

A light house for the Oluvil Harbour has also been constructed for the benefit of both commercial and fishing craft.

These regional ports, while attracting global shipping lines and investors, would help make Sri Lanka a regional maritime hub and take the nation closer towards its goal of becoming the Wonder of Asia.