Pre-commissioning of tank farm at Hambantota port starts
Thursday, 4 July 2013 01:44
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With completion of Phase I of the Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) in Hambantota several ventures have already given boost to operations; the latest being its bunker operations that will commence in the near future.
M.V. Leon – M, a fuel-tanker from Singapore, called at the MRMRP on 1 July with several loads of marine gas oil for testing and pre-commissioning of the bunker facilities at the MRMRP.
The unloading of the fuel from the vessel to the tank farm at MRMRP was initiated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama. SLPA Managing Director Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Southern Port Development Chief Engineer Agil Hewageegana and a number of related staff members and employees attended the event.
The loads were sample tested in Colombo by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. At the initial stage of pre-commissioning, 7000 m3 of marine gas oil would be pumped into the marine oil tanks at the MRMRP tank farm. Accordingly, during the coming weeks the facility will be tested for accuracy and efficiency of its pumps, lines and tanks for smoother bunker operations. Once the testing is over, the facility will be made available for bunker operations.
The MRMRP tank farm facilitates three aviation fuel tanks out of which one is has a 3000 m3 capacity and two with 10,000 m3 capacities each.
The tank farm also facilitates eight tanks for bunkering of Marine fuel out of which two possess 3000 m3 capacities each, three with 5000 m3 capacities each and three with 10,000 m3 capacities each.
35 trainees of the SLPA, 12 members of the technical staff and 15 fire fighters are also being trained on the bunkering process, parallel to the pre-commissioning of the tank farm at MRMRP.
At present, MRMRP has been utilised as a successful automobile transhipment handling center that handled nearly 4500 transhipment units from 31 automobile vessels during the last six months of last year. MRMRP has completed operations of 3873 units from 25 automobile vessels during the first quarter of 2013. In parallel to the constructions of MRMRP, SLPA has also received investment proposals from prospective local and foreign investors to establish industries and business within the port premises. Currently Cabinet of Ministers has approved seven investment proposals, subsequent to the recommendations by the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee with the assistance of the Technical Evaluation Committee. Out of the eight, Thatta Cement Company Ltd., Hambana Petrochemicals Ltd. (HPL) and Lanka Sugar Refinery Company Ltd., have already commenced constructions of their facilities at the port.
MRMRP commissioned in 2010 along with the Mahinda Chinthana policy document of the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is rapidly reaching its developmental goals to bring prosperity and strengthen socio-economic development in Sri Lanka. Under guidance of the President and the instructions of Minister of Ports and Highways (Projects) Rohitha Abeygunawardena, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority led by its Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama have initiated and implemented a number of projects including the development of MRMRP, the Colombo Port Expansion Project, the Oluvil Port Project, Galle, Trincomalee and KKS port developments to develop Sri Lanka as the next maritime hub of the region.
