The government has begun bunkering facilities at a 360 million US dollar Chinese funded port in the southern part , the port authority said in a statement, the company said in its press release.
Hambantota Port constructed by the Chinese companies China Harbour Engineering Company and Sinohydro Corporation in 2008 is developing into a mega port to make it a top port in the region, Chairman Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dr Priyath Bandu Wickrema said. The total cost of the first phase of the project is estimated at 360 million US dollars, excluding 76.5 million US dollars for the bunker terminal.
When all three phases are completed, at the harbour, it is expected to cost around 1.2 billion US dollars and be the largest in South Asia. The oil tank farm, comprising 14 tanks, officially opened by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa on June 23 and this would bring in a lot of business to the port, he said.
The farm has eight tanks for fuel bunkering facilities for vessels, three tanks for aero fuel and three tanks for storing LP gas. The 14 tanks will also have an overall capacity of 80,000 cubic meters.
"The project is composed of five up right tanks with dome in 10,000 cubic meters, three up right tanks with dome in 5,000 cubic meters, three up right tanks with dome in 3,000 cubic meters, three spherical LPG tanks with 2,000 cubic meters and all necessary auxiliary facilities," the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said in a statement.
The tank farm can initially handle 55,000 tons of shipping fuel with eight tanks and is expected to add another 100,000 tons under the second phas