Port of Hambantota
Encyclopedia
The Port of Hambantota is a maritime port
in Hambantota
, Sri Lanka
. The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first ceremonial berthing of the naval ship "Jetliner" to use the port facilities. Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority
.
Construction of the port began in January 2008. It will be Sri Lanka’s largest port, after the Port of Colombo. The Port of Hambantota will service ships traveling along one of world's most busiest shipping lines - the east-west shipping route
which passes six to ten nautical miles (19 km) south of Hambantota. The first phase of the port project will provide bunkering, ship repair, ship building, and crew changes facilities. Later phases will raise capacity of the port up to 20 million TEU
s per year. When completed, the port will be the biggest port constructed on land to date in the 21st century.
and Arabian merchants used it as part of the maritime silk route. Around the 1st century CE, a furnace
powered by monsoon
winds was built near Embilipitiya
, which used wind based air supply to produce high carbon steel. This steel was exported to Rome
and other European areas for the manufacture of armor and swords, with ships sailing to a port in Hambantota to obtain to steel.
between the Malacca Straits and the Suez Canal
, which links Asia
and Europe
. An estimated 36,000 ships, including 4,500 oil tanker
s, use the route annually. However the only major port in Sri Lanka, the Port of Colombo is catered towards container
handling and is unable to provide facilities for port related industries and services. Therefore a new port was proposed near the city of Hambantota, which has a natural harbor and is located on the southern tip of Sri Lanka close to international shipping routes.
A new port will help relieve pressure on the Colombo port, and also provide services to ships that normally take three-and-a-half day detours from their shipping lanes to receive these services, including refueling, maintenance, logistics and buying provisions and medical supplies Proposals to build a port in Hambantota date back over three decades, but plans never got out of conceptual stages. The Port of Hambantota project was finally launched after Mahinda Rajapaksa
, who is a native of Hambantota, was elected President of Sri Lanka
in 2005.
which will include 8 tanks for marine fuel
, 3 tanks containing aviation fuel
and 3 for Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). A 15 floor administrative complex will also be constructed as part of the project.
The mouth of the natural harbor at Hambantota has a 22m depth. When completed, the port will have a 1.5 km long breakwater, with a minimum basin depth of 17m. This is compared to the 15.5m depth of the Port of Colombo. The turning circle will be 600m. A dam will also be built to prevent flooding in nearby areas, and a seawall made of interlocking concrete blocks will protect the port from high seas.
A $550 million tax-free port zone
is being set up outside the port, with local and international companies expressing interest in setting up shipbuilding, ship-repair and warehousing facilities in the zone. It is expected to be completed by November 2010.
The finished project is expected to provide indirect employment to over 50,000 people.
companies China Harbour Engineering Company
and Sinohydro Corporation
. The total cost of the first phase of the project is estimated at $360 million, Excluding $76.5 million for the bunker terminal. 85% of the funding is provided by the Chinese Government and the remaining 15% by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Initially set to open in the first half of 2011, five months ahead of schedule, the first phase of the project was completed by November 2010.
.
with a ceremonial berthing of a vessel at the port. After sailing 90 nautical miles from the Naval Base in Galle
, Sri Lanka Navy's ship "Jetliner" was the first vessel to drop anchor at the harbor. Two vessels, Pradeepa 2 (a traditional sailing yacht) and a commercial cargo ship followed the jetliner ceremonially sailing into the new habour. Pradeepa 2 was chosen in recognition of Sri Lanka's age old role as a key stopping point on the ancient east-west silk trading route. Workers unloaded the first consignment of international cargo from Myanmar
from the vessel "Seruwila" at the auspicious time of 06:21 GMT. A first Day cover and a special commemorative stamp were issued by the department of post - Sri Lanka to mark the event.
The launch of the second phase of the development of the port commenced at 06:27 GMT on the same day.
. Apart of the port, the project consists of the construction of an international airport, a highway, a railway, an oil refinery and related facilities. The new airport will initially handle cargo related to the port, with plans for later expansion. Related to the project, a 500 acres (2 km²) Safari Park
is being constructed in Ridiyagama,Ambalantota scheduled to be open in 2011. An international cricket stadium is also under construction in the area, and will host two fixtures at the upcoming 2011 World Cup
.
The projects have resulted in Hambantota, one of the underprivileged districts in Sri Lanka, becoming the fastest developing region in the island.
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
in Hambantota
Hambantota
Hambantota is a coastal city in the south of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of the Hambantota District...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first ceremonial berthing of the naval ship "Jetliner" to use the port facilities. Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority
Sri Lanka Ports Authority
Sri Lanka Ports Authority is a government agency responsible for the development and maintenance of all commercial ports in Sri Lanka. It is also responsible for the maintenance and operations of lighthouses in Sri Lanka...
.
Construction of the port began in January 2008. It will be Sri Lanka’s largest port, after the Port of Colombo. The Port of Hambantota will service ships traveling along one of world's most busiest shipping lines - the east-west shipping route
Shipping route
A shipping route is a trade route used by merchant ships.Early routes usually were coastal in nature as navigators had to rely on the coastal landmarks...
which passes six to ten nautical miles (19 km) south of Hambantota. The first phase of the port project will provide bunkering, ship repair, ship building, and crew changes facilities. Later phases will raise capacity of the port up to 20 million TEU
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
s per year. When completed, the port will be the biggest port constructed on land to date in the 21st century.
History
A port was first known to be operational in the general area of Hambantota around 250 BCE, when ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Arabian merchants used it as part of the maritime silk route. Around the 1st century CE, a furnace
Furnace
A furnace is a device used for heating. The name derives from Latin fornax, oven.In American English and Canadian English, the term furnace on its own is generally used to describe household heating systems based on a central furnace , and sometimes as a synonym for kiln, a device used in the...
powered by monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
winds was built near Embilipitiya
Embilipitiya
Embilipitiya is a town and Urban council in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka.- Overview :Embilipitiya is a rapidly growing town in Ratnapura District in Sri Lanka. In the 1970s it was a small town with two or three small boutiques...
, which used wind based air supply to produce high carbon steel. This steel was exported to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and other European areas for the manufacture of armor and swords, with ships sailing to a port in Hambantota to obtain to steel.
Location
Sri Lanka is situated along the key shipping routeShipping route
A shipping route is a trade route used by merchant ships.Early routes usually were coastal in nature as navigators had to rely on the coastal landmarks...
between the Malacca Straits and the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, which links Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. An estimated 36,000 ships, including 4,500 oil tanker
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
s, use the route annually. However the only major port in Sri Lanka, the Port of Colombo is catered towards container
Shipping container
A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes...
handling and is unable to provide facilities for port related industries and services. Therefore a new port was proposed near the city of Hambantota, which has a natural harbor and is located on the southern tip of Sri Lanka close to international shipping routes.
A new port will help relieve pressure on the Colombo port, and also provide services to ships that normally take three-and-a-half day detours from their shipping lanes to receive these services, including refueling, maintenance, logistics and buying provisions and medical supplies Proposals to build a port in Hambantota date back over three decades, but plans never got out of conceptual stages. The Port of Hambantota project was finally launched after Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
, who is a native of Hambantota, was elected President of Sri Lanka
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
in 2005.
Facilities
The first phase of the Port of Hambantota will consist of two 600m general purpose berths, a 310m bunkering berth and a 120m small craft berth. It will also contain a bunkering facility and tank farmTank farm
Tank farm may refer to the:*Alternate name for an oil depot, a facility for storage of liquid petroleum products or petrochemicals*Tank Farm, also known as 'Tuff Crater', a volcanic crater in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand...
which will include 8 tanks for marine fuel
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
, 3 tanks containing aviation fuel
Aviation fuel
Aviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft. It is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications, such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures,...
and 3 for Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). A 15 floor administrative complex will also be constructed as part of the project.
The mouth of the natural harbor at Hambantota has a 22m depth. When completed, the port will have a 1.5 km long breakwater, with a minimum basin depth of 17m. This is compared to the 15.5m depth of the Port of Colombo. The turning circle will be 600m. A dam will also be built to prevent flooding in nearby areas, and a seawall made of interlocking concrete blocks will protect the port from high seas.
A $550 million tax-free port zone
Special Economic Zone
A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...
is being set up outside the port, with local and international companies expressing interest in setting up shipbuilding, ship-repair and warehousing facilities in the zone. It is expected to be completed by November 2010.
The finished project is expected to provide indirect employment to over 50,000 people.
Construction
Launched on 15 January 2008, the Hambantota Port is being constructed by the ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
companies China Harbour Engineering Company
China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd
China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd or CHEC is an engineering contractor which provides infrastructure construction, such as marine engineering, dredging and reclamation, road and bridge, railways, airports and plant construction...
and Sinohydro Corporation
Sinohydro Corporation
Sinohydro Corporation is a Chinese state-owned hydropower engineering and construction company. It is the world's largest hydroelectric company...
. The total cost of the first phase of the project is estimated at $360 million, Excluding $76.5 million for the bunker terminal. 85% of the funding is provided by the Chinese Government and the remaining 15% by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Initially set to open in the first half of 2011, five months ahead of schedule, the first phase of the project was completed by November 2010.
Future plans
The second phase of the Port of Hambantota project, which will include a container terminal, is expected to be completed by 2014. The second stage of the port is estimated to cost around US$ 750 million. The third phase will include a dockyard. Upon completion, the port will cover 4000 acres (16.2 km²) of land and accommodate 33 vessels at any given time, making it the largest port in South AsiaSouth Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
Arrival of the first vessel
The harbor was formally declared open on 18 November 2010, by Sri Lanka's president Mahinda RajapaksaMahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
with a ceremonial berthing of a vessel at the port. After sailing 90 nautical miles from the Naval Base in Galle
Galle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
, Sri Lanka Navy's ship "Jetliner" was the first vessel to drop anchor at the harbor. Two vessels, Pradeepa 2 (a traditional sailing yacht) and a commercial cargo ship followed the jetliner ceremonially sailing into the new habour. Pradeepa 2 was chosen in recognition of Sri Lanka's age old role as a key stopping point on the ancient east-west silk trading route. Workers unloaded the first consignment of international cargo from Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
from the vessel "Seruwila" at the auspicious time of 06:21 GMT. A first Day cover and a special commemorative stamp were issued by the department of post - Sri Lanka to mark the event.
The launch of the second phase of the development of the port commenced at 06:27 GMT on the same day.
Overall Hambantota development project
The construction of the Port of Hambantota is part of a larger development project centered around the Hambantota DistrictHambantota District
Hambantota District is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka, in the Southern Province. It has an area of 2,593 km² and a very dry climate. The district capital is Hambantota town; the administrative headquarters are located there as well as the center of salt production...
. Apart of the port, the project consists of the construction of an international airport, a highway, a railway, an oil refinery and related facilities. The new airport will initially handle cargo related to the port, with plans for later expansion. Related to the project, a 500 acres (2 km²) Safari Park
Safari park
A safari park, sometimes known as a wildlife park, is a zoo-like commercial tourist attraction where visitors can drive in their own vehicles or ride in vehicles provided by the facility to observe freely roaming animals...
is being constructed in Ridiyagama,Ambalantota scheduled to be open in 2011. An international cricket stadium is also under construction in the area, and will host two fixtures at the upcoming 2011 World Cup
2011 Cricket World Cup
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was the tenth Cricket World Cup. It was played in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. It was Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup...
.
The projects have resulted in Hambantota, one of the underprivileged districts in Sri Lanka, becoming the fastest developing region in the island.
See also
- List of ports in Sri Lanka
- Hambantota International Airport
- Southern Expressway (Sri Lanka)Southern Expressway (Sri Lanka)The Dakshina Lanka Distributor E01 also known as the Southern Lanka Express Highway or Southern Lanka Distributor or simply the Southern Expressway is Sri Lanka's first E Class highway...