| Magampura Port | |
|---|---|
| Conceptual drawing of the completed port | |
| Location | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Location | Hambantota |
| Details | |
| Opened | 18 November 2010 |
| Available berths | 3 |
| Statistics | |
| Website | http://www.slpa.lk/ |
The Port of Hambantota (also known as the Magampura Port) 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.[1][2] Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.[3]
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.[4] Later phases will raise capacity of the port up to 20 million TEUs per year. When completed, the port will be the biggest port constructed on land to date in the 21st century.[5]
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A port was first known to be operational in the general area of Hambantota around 250 BCE, when Chinese and Arabian merchants used it as part of the maritime silk route.[5] 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.[5]
Sri Lanka is situated along the key shipping route between the Malacca Straits and the Suez Canal, which links Asia and Europe. An estimated 36,000 ships, including 4,500 oil tankers, use the route annually.[5][7] 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.[8] 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.[9]
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[5][10] Proposals to build a port in Hambantota date back over three decades, but plans never got out of conceptual stages.[5] 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.[5]
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.[3][11] It will also contain a bunkering facility and tank farm 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.[5]
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.[5] 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.[10]
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.[7]
The finished project is expected to provide indirect employment to over 50,000 people.[5]
Launched on 15 January 2008, the Hambantota Port is being constructed by the Chinese companies China Harbour Engineering Company and Sinohydro Corporation.[5] The total cost of the first phase of the project is estimated at $360 million, Excluding $76.5 million for the bunker terminal.[9] 85% of the funding is provided by the Chinese Government and the remaining 15% by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Initially set to open in the first half of 2011, five months ahead of schedule,[12] the first phase of the project was completed by November 2010.
The second phase of the Port of Hambantota project, which will include a container terminal, is expected to be completed by 2014. The second stage of the port is estimated to cost around US$ 750 million.[13] The third phase will include a dockyard.[7] Upon completion, the port will cover 4,000 acres (16 km2) of land and accommodate 33 vessels at any given time, making it the largest port in South Asia.[5]
The harbor was formally declared open on 18 November 2010, by Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa 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.[14] Two vessels, Pradeepa 2 (a traditional sailing yacht) [15] 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.
The construction of the Port of Hambantota is part of a larger development project centered around the Hambantota District. Apart of the port, the project consists of the construction of an international airport, a highway, a railway, an oil refinery and related facilities.[9] The new airport will initially handle cargo related to the port, with plans for later expansion. Related to the project, a 500-acre (2.0 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.[5]
The projects have resulted in Hambantota, one of the underprivileged districts in Sri Lanka, becoming the fastest developing region in the island.[9]
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