U.S. Embassy delegation visits Hambantota International Port

A high-level delegation from the Embassy of the United States in Sri Lanka made a courtesy call to Hambantota International Port (HIP) recently. 

The delegation, led by U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Jayne Howell, also included Regional Indo-Pacific Strategy Coordinator Dustin R. Bickel, Senior Defence Official Lieutenant Colonel Matthew House and Chief of the Office of Defence Cooperation Lieutenant Commander Ros Lary.

The visit concluded with a guided tour of the HIP’s terminals and operational zones, including container yards, vehicle handling zones and ship berths. The delegation was also briefed on the HIP’s recent upgrades and investments, such as a US $ 41 million crane expansion that has raised container handling capacity to one million TEUs, extended taking capacity and a 26 percent year-on-year increase in vehicle throughput, reaching approximately 700,000 units.

These developments position the HIP as a growing multipurpose maritime hub, strategically located along one of the busiest shipping routes in the Indian Ocean. The visit reinforced the HIP’s importance as a resilient logistics connector.