Aug 25, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port has welcomed its 100th roll-on-roll-off car carrier this month when ‘Istra Ace’, a vessel operated by Mitsui OSK Line called at the port. Sri Lanka Ports Authority said it started handling car carriers at the port on June 2012.
SLPA chairman Priyath Wickrama said the port has built a reputation as one of the most efficient and reliable ports in the region.
So far the port had handled 35,000 units of which nearly 15,000 were for transhipment.
Hambantota port is positioned as an industrial port, where petrochemicals, cement and similar bulk raw materials are imported, processed and re-exported. The port has been declare a free zone for entrepôt trade.
SLPA managing direction Nihal Keppetipola said commercial ventures with an investment of 700 million US dollars are now coming up around the port.