Luxury cruise Amadea in maiden call at Hambantota Port

Tuesday, 8 April 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The luxury cruise-liner Amadea called at Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) in Hambantota recently with 479 passengers comprising 423 German nationals and 322 crew members and was under the command of Capt. O. Jarle Hatebo, creating history as her maiden call at MRMRP in Hambantota. At Hambantota, passengers set off for day excursions in Kataragama and the Udawalawe Sanctuary and their tour was operated by Walkers Tours Ltd. Passengers had also been facilitated by the Sri Lanka Port Authority to exchange their foreign currency and purchase local products at the port. On her arrival at the MRMRP in Hambantota, an up-country Sri Lankan dance troupe welcomed the passengers and Captain of the vessel who were received by SLPA MRMRP Deputy Harbour Master Capt. P.S. Dias, SLPA MRMRP General Manager Operations Norman Weerarathne, SLPA MRMRP Assistant General Manager Operations Suranga, Ceyline Shipping Operations Executive Udara Cooray and Ceyline Shipping Operations Executive Robin Dudley. Capt. Hatebo stated that Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) in Hambantota is the best and most ideal port for the tourists who visit southern Sri Lanka.

The same luxury cruise liner called at the Port of Trincomalee in 2006, creating history as the first cruise vessel to call at the Port of Trincomalee since its nationalisation in 1967. Amadea has a capacity to carry 620 passengers and 260 crew on board and is equipped with entertainment facilities such as night club, swimming pools, restaurants, gymnasium, bars, etc. V Ships Leisure acts as the cruise ship operators whilst Ceyline Shipping Ltd. serves as the local agents. The cruise-liner operations were efficiently handled by the Ceyline Shipping Operations team under the supervision of Director Capt. Kapila Perera. Ceyline Shipping was the first local ship agent which brought in the cruise-liner Voyager, the first cruise vessel to call at MRMRP. Ceyline Shipping as the agents for Amadea said that it was pleased to inform that its principals had scheduled calls at MRMRP in Hambantota on a long-term basis due to the developments in the Sri Lankan ports sector and tourism industry. Pics: DSC0413: The Amadea at MRMRP DSC0231: An up-country dance troupe welcoming the passengers at MRMRP