First sea port landing facility opens tomorrow:

Another accolade for aviation sector

By Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Another accolade would be added to Sri Lanka’s aviation sector when the island’s first sea port landing facility opens in Dandugama River tomorrow.

The new mini sea plane landing airport could accommodate both sea planes and float planes on wheels and would also have a wooden teak pier, passenger lounge and most importantly, parking facilities even for large tourist buses.

The facility was first planned to be built in a section of the Negombo Lagoon, but the Government decided against it as fishermen in the area pointed out that it may not be conducive to them.

“We are planning to raise the standard of the mini sea plane airstrip to international level and even allowed private operators to land here. We also expect sea planes from other countries such as the Maldives to land here,” Minister of Aviation Priyankara Jayaratne said.

“We believe this would strengthen the country’s tourism industry, attracting up-market clientele.” He said in addition to SriLankan Airlines, private operators could use this facility. “Currently SriLankan float planes land at 10 points and our aim is to increase this to 20 by the end of this year”.

The Minister said the future of this airport would also see Immigration and Customs offices being set up there. “President Mahinda Rajapaksa has set a target of 2.5 million tourists to the country by 2015 and we are gearing to meet this target. More international entry points to the country are needed to achieve this target,” he said.

Sri Lanka has entry points at the Colombo airport and harbour, and in future would include the Ja-ela, Galle Harbour and Hambantota airport and harbour.

Air taxis will provide travellers the option of turning a six-hour road trip into a 40-minute flight and with the private sector too showing an interest, operational costs would come down, enabling everyone to take a flight from a long distance destination such as Nuwara Eliya to another spot.

The aviation sector would receive a further boost when the domestic airport opens at the Colombo airport premises in a few months. Its main objective is to enable passengers to take connecting flights to any of the several domestic airports which are currently being developed. Plans are under way to develop the Ratmalana airport as a city airport similar to the Gatwick airport in London. A speed rail link too is planned between the Colombo airport and Fort.

Commenting on the new airport being built at Mattala, Jayaratne said that it was one of the best things that happened to the local aviation sector.

He said the airport would also focus on cargo operations and they will look into pilot training and other logistics.

The Minister said the Mahinda Chinthana clearly spells out that Sri Lanka would be made a regional aviation hub and the Colombo airport expansion plans, Mattala airport development and Ja-ela sea port project were important landmarks of this.

Investment opportunities also exist in direct aviation related ventures such as aircraft MROs, aircraft painting, and flying schools as well as in connected trades such as hospitality, tourism, freight forwarding, and courier services.

“After the construction of the airport, one million passenger transactions are expected annually through the airport.

"The expected air cargo transaction rate per annum is 45,000 mt. while the expected aircraft movement rate will be 30,000 per annum. The airport will provide around 2,000 direct employment opportunities and a considerable number of indirect employment opportunities,” Minister Jayaratne said.

He said that their aim, as spelt out in the Mahinda Chinthana, is to make Sri Lanka an aviation hub and the opening of the second international airport in Mattala would take the country even closer towards this goal.