First cut of H’tota port master plan by November

• Master plan developed by British consulting firm Atkins
• Plans on developing artificial island also included in master plan 
• Port increases Ro-Ro business handling by two fold in first half 

By Lahiru Pothmulla

The first cut of the master plan drafted by the British consulting firm Atkins on Hambantota port is likely to be received by November this year, a top official of the Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) said.

HIPG Chief Operating Officer Tissa Wickramasinghe said Atkins Consulting, which they have hired as consultant, will come up with what is best for them including development plans for the 40-acre artificial island adjacent to the port.     

“We had some plans for the artificial island, but Atkins will come up with the best option for us concerning a port. There are many options for us including a marina. Of course, it’s clearly stated in the concessions agreement what we can and cannot do. When the master plan comes out, it will make recommendations not only for the island but also to the entire port. 

“The shipping business changes rapidly. We had a plan back then but it’s not the best option today. Atkins is a renowned port consultant, which had developed ports all over the world. When Atkins makes a master plan, it will come up with long-term plans for five or six years. This is based on our original plan, but taking into consideration new dynamics that are coming up over the period of time,” Wickramasinghe told a group of journalists visiting the port last week.

At present, he said, HIPG is focused on the roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) business and compared to the first half of last year, HIPG has been able to increase Ro-Ro business handling by two-folds during the first six months of this year.

“In 2017, only 109,716 vehicles were handled but in the first half of 2018, we handled 106,135 vehicles and 153 ships. Transshipment is what we are focused on right now and we are serious in what we do. Being a globally accepted and recognized port operator, China Merchants (CM) Port— our intention is to double and triple these numbers in the future,” he stressed.