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By Chandani Jayatilleke

The most important person in the day-to-day activities of any port is the Harbour Master. However, he is also the least noticed by the world outside the port. How many of us really know his duties and responsibilities, his life, as it were?

In a way the Harbour Master's job is a 'privileged' position. According to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Act, only one Harbour Master can be appointed for all ports in Sri Lanka with Deputy Harbour masters looking after the navigational aspects in each port besides the Colombo Port. They have to report to the Harbour Master in Colombo. The next in command is the Deputy HM also operating from Colombo.

In today's Meeting Point, we talk to this 'privileged' man - Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, the Harbour Master of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). In this interview Capt. Keppetipola shares his experiences and ideas on developing Colombo port as a regional hub.

Single post

To become a Harbour Master one has to be a Deputy Harbour Master (DHM) first. Only a pilot with long experience can apply for the DHM's post. Basically, one has to be an experienced ship's Captain to enter the SLPA pilot service, Capt. Keppetipola told us as we met him at the Harbour Master's office in the Colombo Port last week. The Harbour Master is the person who exercises jurisdiction over the water area of a port or port approach. The authority is conferred on him by a national law, regulations and rules. He is responsible for the safe movement of ships.

Professional career

Born in Kandy, Capt. Keppetipola began his sea career soon after his Advanced Level in 1975. "I studied at Dharmaraja College, Kandy. My parents wanted me to enter the University, but I preferred a sea career. They being teachers didn't like my joining a ship. But, later as I built my career as a Captain, they were quite happy," he said.

A fine ruggerite in school, Capt. Keppetipola kept a balance between studies and sports, which he values till to date. "This discipline helped me immensely to build my sea career," he said. Capt. Keppetipola who joined the marine industry as a cadet, saw a bright future before him.

"Gradually I furthered my career by obtaining professional qualifications such as Masters in Marine which I completed in Australia. Subsequently I was promoted as a Captain and I sailed many years as a Captain." Captain's job

A ship's Captain is the chief of a floating island. He is similar to a CEO or an MD of a company. He has to be strict and nice to his staff all the time. Sometimes sailing can be frustrating for the younger crew when they have to be at sea for months. The Captain has to keep them cheerful while maintaining discipline on board. This is a very responsible job, he said.

For Capt. Keppetipola sailing was an interesting experience. He recalls many unforgettable experiences in the ocean, some of them dreadful. "Many were related to bad weather. Those days, we had to judge everything with the barometer and take quick decisions to avoid dangerous situations. Somehow we managed to avoid or over-ride danger.

If you made a wrong judgement, everybody's life would be at stake. Nowadays, of course, we have modern equipment to predict weather patterns and so problems are minimal now. Once we were caught in a typhoon in the South China Sea and that was a deadly experience."

SLPA offer

"I joined the SLPA in 1990 as a pilot and worked in that position till 1999 and joined as a DHM in the same year. Later I was promoted to HM as the then HM left the country for good. I consider myself lucky because I was in the right place at the right time to become the third Sri Lankan HM in the country, a friendly and cheerful Harbour Master said.

The HM's post was earlier (before the Port became an Authority in 1979) known as Master's Attendance and the positions had been held by British Royal Navy personnel. After 1979, the position was renamed as Harbour Master.

Advice to young people

"I encourage young people to go out to sea as it is a career which makes you a strong and smart man.

There's much potential for youngsters to take to a sea career at present because we have quite a number of training centres operated by the state as well as the private sector. The only problem is that it is highly competitive. The market is filled with Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals at present. The rates are quite low due to this factor. They are all in rotation and for a newcomer it will be a bit difficult to break into a sea career.

Responsibilities

As the Harbour Master at the SLPA, Capt. Keppitipola is responsible for:

* Pilotage, berthing, towing and mooring services - within port limits

* Safety of navigation, regulation and control of navigation - within port limits

* Installation and Maintenance of lights (on and off) shore- effective islandwide

* Providing fire (Sri Lanka waters) and safety services ashore and afloat

* Pollution prevention

* Licensing of harbour service craft and personnel of private operators

Developing Colombo as a cruise destination

Keppetipola is very optimistic about developing Colombo as a regional port and a cruise destination. "There are three ways of operating cruises: 1) East-West passenger service (the rich cruising for months); 2) Cruise shipping - which identifies a destination for three days or so (this is ideal for tourists) and 3) ferry services. We are now geared to launching a ferry service from Colombo to India. We have a new pier to accommodate these passenger services. We are also refurbishing the old terminal currently to meet future needs."

However, success will depend on supply and demand. If there's a good demand we can allow many ships to operate ferry services. We expect business volumes to increase through such a ferry service as a passenger is allowed to carry up to 100 kg of goods," he said.

Hub Port

Colombo is now emerging as the hub port in the region covering the Gulf, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. "We did extremely well last year to be the top port in this region," he said.

"However, to be the hub port, our location alone won't be enough. We have to drastically improve competitiveness, productivity and efficiency of the Port. We have a very supportive Minister and a dynamic Chairman who has a vision for the Colombo Port. And our employees are also motivated. Therefore, it won't be difficult for us to reach our goal very soon to be the hub Port in the whole of Asia," Capt. Keppetipola said.

As a professional, Capt. Keppetipola is often in touch with his counterparts in other countries. "As Colombo's HM, I am a member of the International Harbour Masters' Association (IHMA). We have annual conventions where we discuss a wide range of issues in the marine industry such as pilotage, use of modern equipment, safety in ports and other administrative matters," he said. Soon after the interview with us he was scheduled to fly to Singapore to attend another important official meeting.

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