Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port exceed 100,000 units of vehicle handling this year
The position of Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) in Hambantota, the services rendered at present are continuing with that of the highest quality. The expansions taking place with the oncoming massive development activities around this port, that include the tank farm, the green port city and free zones providing tax havens and bunkering facilities, are sure to realize a long term dream of the vessels sailing in the Indian Ocean, and those involved in the field of Supply Chain Management as well. In the future the port will predominantly operate as a transshipment port, Sri Lanka Port Authority said in its press release.
As an effective measure to ease the long berthing delays experienced by Roll on Roll off vessels at the Port of Colombo, SLPA route such vessels to the Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa from 06th June 2012. Commencement of RO-RO operations at Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port expressed itself as a dedicated and reliable facility for international maritime transportation in the region. This new move enabled to reduce congestion over Colombo, introducing a quicker clearance system with SL Customs where the document processing could be done in either Hambantota or Colombo without any delay, and promote transshipment business with a dedicated automobile handling terminal facility in Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port.
MRMR Port received 161 RO-RO vessels from January to September this year against 74 such vessels for the same period last year pointing to a positive change of 117.56%. The total number of motor vessels handled for the same period this year at MRMR Port is 116,861 units against 26,932 units for the same period last year pointing to a positive change of 333.91%. During the above period of this year MRMR Port has handled 19,628 domestic and 97,233 transshipment units in RO-RO operations and Significantly MRMR Port has hit the total mark of 100,000 units of vehicle handing by September 2014. The MRMR Port received 329 Ro-Ro vessels from June 2012 to date with handling 51,909 Demotic and 140,225 Transshipment totally during the same period. The Total vehicle handled from June 2012 to date is 192,134 units.
MRMR Port is fast becoming a major stop over for vessels to stem Bunkers with its brand new tank farm and terminal complex in full operation. The main customers are the very large bulk carriers and Crude Oil tankers which are plying the busy sea lanes in the region. Since its inauguration in June there has been 70 vessels calling for bunkers only with a total volume of 26,000mt. The replenishment of stocks are ongoing with major suppliers getting actively involved in the supply chain which is very encouraging to ensure timely supplies and quality of the products. Meanwhile by now the second phase of the port has been completed up to 60o%. Of the project and expected d to be completed at last quarter of 2015.
All developmental activities at MRMRP are being successfully carried out with the supervision of Hon.Project Minister of Highways, Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena and instructions by Dr.Priyath B.Wickrama – the Chairman of SLPA. Following the footsteps of ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka Ports Authority has been rightly directed at present, to maximize all the strengths and capacities to efficiently work towards the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka.