Hambantota Port surpasses half a million transshipment units, outpacing previous RORO records

The HIP RORO team

Vehicles awaiting transhipment at the RORO yard

• Construction of new yard for transshipment vehicles nearing completion and is expected to become operational by 2024

The Hambantota International Port (HIP) has achieved a milestone by handling over half a million transshipment units by September, exceeding the port’s previous year’s roll-on/roll-off (RORO) figures.

“As the global economy recovers gradually, we continue to aggressively market our location and services.  As a result, RORO transshipment is steadily increasing at HIP and we have been able to better our volumes year-on-year,” HIPG COO Tissa Wickremasinghe said.

Last year, HIP hit the 500,000-transshipment unit mark in November, closing 2022 with a total volume of 558,200 local and transshipment cargo handled, whereas this year the port was able to achieve the milestone within the third quarter of 2023, setting a new milestone.  

The port’s RORO business has seen significant growth in the past 5 years and it is now an attractive destination for transshipment of vehicles. 

“This is mainly because we are geared to meet the high quality, efficiency and reliability shipping lines demand. HIP’s services and capacity for transshipment meet ‘best in the world’ standards, which along with our strategic location, makes the port a desirable destination for RORO movement. Apart from being the most convenient transshipment port for both the pacific and Indian oceans, our operations are top notch,” HIPG General Manager Commercial & Marketing Lance Zuo stressed.

So far this year, the port has managed 218 ship calls involving 8 shipping lines, reaching its peak with 75,608 moves in September, attributed to 32 RORO vessel calls.

The month of September also recorded the highest ever RORO loading volume of 39,200 moves.  The 500,000 milestone was completed with transshipment operations carried out for MV. Sunlight Ace of MOL and MV. Soo Shin of Glovis which brought volumes of 2,391 moves and 3, 407 moves respectively. 
 

“We give top priority to standard operational procedures and strictly maintain safe direction during RORO operations. This was clearly proven in the way our expert operations team handled vessels such as Sunlight Ace and Soo Shin, during the recent extreme weather conditions,” Wickremasinghe said.

Compared to 2022, the port has seen a 25 percent increase in RORO volumes.  Apart from dedication and hard work, the high growth in volumes is attributed to HIP’s investment in new equipment that has helped the port meet international standards, consolidating its position as a leading transshipment port for RORO. 

Construction of the new yard for transshipment vehicles is also nearing completion and is expected to become wholly operational by 2024.