Milestone in Asian shipping industry :

Two new ports in the offing

By Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Heralding a new era in the Asian shipping industry, Sri Lanka will commission two international harbours this year, marking a rare achievement none of the other Asian countries could even dreamt of.

Sri Lankans can even be more proud that construction of these two ports, in Oluvil and Hambantota, commenced when Sri Lanka was fighting a bitter war with the LTTE, emphasising the point that the country did not compromise development to the war effort.

It is also noteworthy to mention that Oluvil is located in the one-time war zone and despite such odds the Government went ahead with the plan to develop Oluvil as an international harbour.

The Hambantota harbour project, which received only lip service for almost 20 years, finally got off the ground last year mainly to stimulate the economy of the Southern Province and to raise the living standards of the less affluent people in the area.

When the ground-breaking ceremony of the Hambantota Port was held, many said that this project would be confined just to the foundation stone. However, silencing all critics, President Mahinda Rajapaksa shouldered the financial burden of the project through assistance from China.

SLPA Chairman, Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama with President Mahinda Rajapaksa during an inspection tour

On August 15, a milestone in the project would be reached with water being filled to the site.Meanwhile, the Oluvil Port project, begun in 2008 to give further impetus to economic development in the Eastern region, is now on fast track and has recorded rapid progress with the first phase to be opened by the end of the year. The Oluvil Port, which stretches across 1.4 kilometres, will include a commercial harbour and fisheries harbour.

The Oluvil Development Project received high priority under the ‘Negenahira Navodaya’ program launched to expedite development activities in the Eastern region.

The Oluvil Port would provide more convenient and cost-effective access to and from the South Eastern region for goods and cargo originating on the west coast. International vessels too could patronise the harbour, thus reducing congestion at the Colombo Port.

In addition, goods would not have to be transported overland, thus reducing transport costs which would result in the reduction of prices of essential imported items.

Projected image of the Oluvil port

The ongoing construction at the Oluvil port

The main construction component of the project is to develop a commercial harbour with appropriate shore facilities to cater to general cargo vessels, including coastal passenger transport, with provision for expansion to a bigger harbour in the future. The fishery harbour will cater to the requirements of the current and projected fishing activities and its shore-based services and industries. It will cater to the needs of the region.

The project also comprises the construction of a commercial harbour and a basin for fishing craft in the second stage. The permanent building constructions in the commercial and fishery harbour areas and the internal and access road constructions are now in progress while sheet piling and quay wall constructions at the fishery harbour have been completed; yard filling is also in progress.

The sheet piling, quay wall constructions, land development work and yard filling in the commercial harbour area of the Oluvil Port are being carried out.Eighty percent of the construction work of the ice plant at the fishery harbour is completed.

A total of 912,860 tonne of stones have been transported to the Oluvil project site.

The benefits of the project have already started trickling in with many employment opportunities being created. By the end of this year, it is expected to create 1,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities.

When the project is completed by 2015, it would open 10,000 employment opportunities. Cement, fertiliser and sugar industries will be introduced to the region via the new port while the fisheries industry will also be developed. The private sector too would step in to provide logistical support, opening up new vistas that were never even dreamt of a decade ago.

An international port would also woo more foreign direct investments to the area, resulting the birth of regional industries and opening up of new markets. The regional communities will receive immense benefits from the project such as the introduction of cement, fertilizer, and other industries to the Port, bringing a new lease of life to the fisheries sector in the region, elevating marketing sector to a higher standard to give a new impetus to the region’s paddy cultivation and dairy industry through the improvement of conventional cargo handling operations.

On completion of the first stage of the commercial harbour it could handle six vessels of ten thousand tons simultaneously. In addition to the fisheries harbour, an ice plant with cold storage facilities, fish auction halls, refrigerated storage, net mending facilities and administration building and other facilities too would be provided. The fishery harbour will cater to the requirements of the existing and projected activities and its shore-based services and industries.

Most of the permanent structures such as administration buildings, and commercial and fishery harbour are being built at a hectic pace to meet the year-end deadline.

The total cost of the Oluvil harbour project with financial assistance from Denmark Government is expected to be around Rs. 6 billion.

During the second phase of the project dredging of the reservoir down to a depth of 11 meters enabling handling of vessels of 16000 tons and expanding of the vessel basin up to 24 hectares are expected.

On the initiative and guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the dedication of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman, Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, Oluvil Port staff have not left a stone unturned to see the opening of the Port by the end of this year.

With Colombo South Harbour development project being accelerated Sri Lanka could entertain hopes for a bright future for its shipping industry. The proposed harbour will have four terminals each will over 1,200 metres in length to accommodate three berths and provision to deepen to 23 metres to accommodate deeper draft vessels in the future.

The development of Phase one of the Colombo South Harbour is to be carried out in two stages. The first stage of the project is estimated to cost around US$. 300 million local funds. Investment for stage two with private sector participation would be in excess of US$. 700 Million.

The Galle Port is the only Sri Lankan port that provides facilities for pleasure Yachts with the International Yacht Society recognising Galle Port as one of the world’s best attractions.

This was the reason that prompted the government to convert it to the region’s first tourist harbour. In the next phase, facilities will be extended to accommodate passenger cruise ships. The project is to be completed in two stages within three years.

In addition, the government will also develop the Trincomalee Port while the Kankasanthurai harbour would be developed to international standards with Indian assistance.

The island nation which had only three main harbours in Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee for several centuries would soon see three new harbours being added within a short span of four years. This would certainly create an unparalleled economic success accelerating Sri Lanka’s efforts to realise the Wonder of Asia.