Hambantota harbour first phase to end by August

The first phase of the Hambantota  harbour construction will be completed by August this year and it will be followed by the process of filling the harbour with sea water and the construction will cost US $360 million, the Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapaksa said.

The Ports and Aviation Ministry has scheduled to bring the first ship into the harbour by November.

The Ministry has planned to export local products including sugar,rubber and milk products by the first ship leaving the Hambantota Port, Minister Rajapaksa added.

At first the harbour will be filled with small quantities of water to allow the public to wallow and enjoy in the water as this is an opportunity once in a lifetime. After two months the harbour will be filled with water up to the required water level and the first ship will be navigated in, the Minister said.

The harbour is being constructed in three phases, the first phase is to moor three ships at a time and the construction of two jetties.

Each jetty will be 310 metres long and deep enough to berth large ships. The depth of the harbour from the sea level is 17 metres. The deepest point in the Colombo harbour is said to be 15.5 metres.