Lanka: Bunkering, tank farm gets approval

Colombo: The unsolicited project proposal for construction of the bunkering facility and the tank farm at the Hambantota Harbour forwarded by the China Huanqiu Contracting Engineering Corporation has been given approval after thorough evaluation by the Project Committee and the Cabinet Appointed Negotiations Committee. Cabinet approval was granted for this project.

According to the agreement, the total value of the project would be US$76.5 million and the project is scheduled to be completed within a time period of two years.

Under this project a set of fuel tanks; bunking facilities, aviation fuel storage facilities and LP gas storage facilities will be constructed.

According to the terms of reference, the above facilities will be constructed enabling to operate them independently with separate loading arms and pipe line system which connects the oil and gas jetty. Construction of the jetties in this regard has already been commenced under works of the Hambantota Port Project.

It is also proposed to obtain loan facilities for this construction works from the Exim Bank in China and construction works are scheduled to be completed by the year 2010.

Hambantota Port Development Project consists of four stages. The whole project is expected to be completed within 15 years. Initially Hambantota Port is planned as a Service and Industrial Port. Subsequently, it could be developed as a Transhipment Port in the next two stages to handle 20 million containers per year.

Under the first phase of the project, an industrial port with a 1,000m jetty and an oil refinery estimated to cost US$1 billion will be constructed at Hambantota. The proposed port will stimulate development of harbour-related industries such as ship repairs, ship building, bunkering, break bulk, power generation and a free trade zone.

Senior official of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said the construction of the new port when completed will directly provide 6000 new jobs and 50,000 to 100,000 jobs as indirect employment. A large number of these openings were for skilled workers who were lacking in this area.

Therefore, steps were being taken to train people in the required skills at special vocational training centres, so that the skilled workforce will be available when the port begins functioning.