Hambantota International Port gears up for major container handling.

By: Staff Writer

Colombo (LNW):The Hambantota International Port says that it is ready to move up its operations to a refinery, energy hub and container transshipment.

Tissa Wickremasinghe, COO of HIPG in a statement said that Sri Lanka needs to have a holistic approach in terms of container handling.

While noting that there is a ‘huge potential market out there’, and it can be captured under a unified Sri Lankan brand, the COO of the Hambantota International Port Group said that it will also provide great value in terms of cutting costs for the Indo-Pacific region manufacturers and for regions in the far east, who are reaching out to the gulf, European and African markets.

Hambantota International port (HIP) has earned the ‘amongst the best in the world’ benchmark for handling transshipment of vehicles coming on and off vessels in the past few years, with several of the largest shipping lines in the RO-RO business now operating in and out of HIP.

HIP’s latest endorsement comes from the shipping line MOL, who awarded the port an appreciation certificate for achieving ZERO damage operation and maintaining safe Pure Car Carrier (PCC) cargo handling during the period 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023.

“The award was presented under the category ‘Handling more than 40,000 annual MOL,’ at the shipping line’s Annual Stevedore Meeting (India and Indian Ocean Region), which was held in Chennai, recently,” said a statement.

The COO says HIP, which is the only ISO certified port in Sri Lanka with special emphasis on Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE), won several accolades for its RORO operations due to stringent practices and protocols.

Yuri Kannangara, General Manager Operations of HIPG attributes their success to the best-in-class technology adopted by the port which he says is key to maintaining high standards.

HIP has implemented modern port management systems, technology for cargo tracking, and advanced communication tools to streamline its operations.

“Apart from that the first pillar of maintaining standards in Ro-Ro port operations is a robust safety protocol.

This includes clear signage, designated pathways, and comprehensive emergency response plans. We conduct regular drills and training sessions to ensure that all personnel are well-prepared for any unforeseen circumstances,” he added in a statement.