The Hambantota International Port (HIP) saw an increase in the vessels docking at the port during the first week of the 
new year.

One of the region’s top multi-purpose ports, the HIP currently handles a number of different activities, from ship-to-ship transfers (STS) to ship repairs and warm layups. 

Apart from the regular car transshipment vessels, there is a vessel requiring STS transfer operations and a ship belonging to the Sri Lanka Navy is amongst the six vessels currently berthed in the harbour.

The varied services offered by the highly experienced port staff include a warm layup for drillship Aban Abraham in the port for a period of six months, a hot layup for oil tanker Champion Express, an STS transfer operation for MV Orchid, loading and unloading operations for roll-on/roll-off (RORO) vessels Glovis Siris and Glovis Champion, 

as well as a familiarisation and operational requirement for Sri Lankan naval vessel Saurala.

Traffic to the HIP increased significantly during last year, with 300 vessels calling with different service requirements. Whilst their volume of RORO vessels handled had increased by 136 percent, the multi services provided by the port have pushed its activities, which were previously centred around RORO and passenger ship operations, to bulk, break-bulk, ship supply services, repairs and layups.

The port’s marketing and commercial teams have had a busy 2018, working on a worldwide campaign to position the HIP with the focus of attracting the necessary components to make it a truly multi-purpose harbour. Today, their efforts have borne fruit with so many different ships with varied service requirements calling at the port.

Hambantota International Port Group expects to see a manifold increase in vessel traffic in the new year, which would greatly increase the turnover of the port and in turn provide economic benefits to the Hambantota region.