Dream comes true after 40 years:

Today, a new chapter opens in global shipping industry

By Shirajiv Sirimane

For centuries Hambantota area was synonymous as a port because of its strategic location in the middle of the much used Silk Route.

The Silk Route was important paths for cultural, commercial and technological exchange between traders, merchants, pilgrims, missionaries, soldiers, nomads and urban dwellers from ancient times of China, India, Tibet, Persia and the Mediterranean countries for almost 3,000 years.

The route helped people to transport goods, especially luxuries such as silk, satin and other fine fabrics, musk, perfumes, spices, medicines, jewels, glassware and even rhubarb.

In addition history tells us that the Chandrika Reservoir area in the Uda Walawa was used to make steel to make armour for the Roman solders and these too were exported from Godawaya port.

Godawaya is a small fishing hamlet located at the mouth of the Walawe River, between Ambalantota and Hambantota.

It received its name, originally from Goda Pavata Pattana or Gotha Pabbata Pattana from a huge rock overlooking the Indian Ocean, at the foot of which it is situated.

The original harbour town was an en route the maritime silk route from at least the second Century CE. Until the 6th century AD, Godawaya was an important transit port. Ships carrying merchandise from the West exchanged commodities with ships from China carrying silk.

With the Portuguese invasion of Galle in 1505 and subsequently the British developing the Colombo port, other ports were cold shouldered. It was only in 1965 a young entrepreneur, Ariyaseela Wickramanayake from Baddegama saw the potential of this ancient port and decided to explore the financial viability of it.

He, a professional diver and a shipping magnate he did several feasibility studies and found that Godawaya port will not suffice for the future demands of the industry.

"Then I found out that Karagamlewaya in Hambantota was the ideal place to build a port, "he said. With this bright idea he approached several political leaders in the early 70s and some laughed at him and others did not even give him an appointment.

"I was not discouraged as I saw the gold mine that was there and invested over Rs. 300 million of my own money and did several feasibility studies and finaly came out with a project report," he said.

"Even this project report did not yield results and this time around I was very disappointed and about to throw the Rs. 300 million feasibility report to the dustbin when some one told me to show it to the Rajapaksa brothers," he related.

"When I gave the proposal to the then Deputy Minister of Ports Chamal Rajapaksa I was thrilled to see the positive response it received. There were Ports officials calling me everyday and things started to tick off from then on," he called.

Wickramanayake said that when Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed Minister of Port his plan received a solid approval. "The then Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa went with me to the proposed site in 1990s," he said.

After getting a first-hand account of the project, Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the green light to go ahead with the project. "However there were several obstacles, especially from a few countries which had tried to block the project as it was a threat to their shipping industry."

He explained due to external pressures the construction was delayed and the country had to wait until Rajapaksa was elected President, to give it a kick start.

The President not only cleared the way but also obtained financial assistance from China to build the project.

"I am so happy that I am alive to see the sea water gushing inland at the Hambantota port on August 15, opening up a new chapter in the global shipping industry," he said. Wickramanayake has one more point to boast about.

The first ship is scheduled to sail from Hambantota port in November when the first phase of the project gets off ground, and her hold will contain a consignment of sugar, milk and yoghurt bound for the Maldives, under the brand name Pelewatte Industries.

The name of the ship is "Ruhunu Puthra".

And the irony of it is that both are owned by Ariyaseela Wickramanayake, the mentor behind the historic project.