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Portcity, a niche concept for Colombo

Lt Col Chandana Weerakoon

Portcity is an extension to the port, in order to acquire the advantageous facilities of the port and the port background to shape up the environment of the city surrounded by the port.

The Colombo Port

This is not a novel concept. Many countries are adapting to this principle to achieve their economic and leisure goals.

Baltimore portcity in United States of America is one of the greatest portcities where tourists from all over the world have a great concern.

Colombo Port is in the process of changing to a portcity concept with the latest innovations and additions to the port and port suburb itself. At the morement, the port proper is expanding to accommodate the high flow of maritime traffic from all over the world. At present the country is enjoying the 13th position of the world as the busiest transshipment sea port in the world.

The portcity concept is surrounded by history, leisure, water front, fun and port related activities like commercial development, transportation, warehousing and packaging.

Now, Colombo is changing rapidly to achieve the portcity status to become one of the greatest portcities in the world.

Evolution of the port city has described in different ways in different schools of thought. But, J H Bird who is a famous Transport Geographer from UK has given a theory called "Anyport Concept" based on the development of the UK ports.

The respective theory describes in five stages with the inception of the port and process of the evolution takes place until it becomes a portcity.

Colombo Port during the colonial era

Generally, port establishes with the furthest point of the land which connects to the sea where it gives access for the sailing ships. That is the initial geographic requirement of the port.

Then it develops with the necessary working facilities, warehousing facilities transportation facilities and hinterland facilities. Colombo port has been started on the same theory by the colonial powers.

Their initial requirement was to transport the commodities out of the country to different markets in the world while countries requirements to be brought to the respective country.

This had been the concept prevailed during that time in the world under the colonial powers. But, these ports in the region are barely net-worked to exchange or transfer the respective products of the country.

Subsequently, there were many requirements that came to the port with the introduction of steam ships, diesel ships and heavy crude oil and bulk carriers.

Then the ports were upgraded and expanded to meet the latest innovations of the industry. But, certain innovation of the maritime industry faces limitations.

Therefore, countries adapted different other methods to address the growing demand and latest innovations and the portcity was the outcome of that demand. This stage called specialization in Bird's Any Port Theory.

Now Colombo is facing the specialization stage. It is specializing for container handling, grain handling, petroleum handling, bunkering, ship repairing, commercial development, water front parks, housing complexes and other related trading and warehousing facilities.

According to famous Transportation Geographer the Hoyle B S(1988) who proposed another "anytype" model, which instead of stressing the port infrastructure development, emphasizes the changing linkages between the port and the city.

One of these urban linkages is the development of old port sites for other urban uses, such as Docklands in London and Harbour front in Baltimore. The final outcome is the portcity.

Significance

Baltimore Port City

This portcity concept targets many facets in global business. Port handling, port related businesses, warehousing, packaging, tourism, history are some of the fast moving businesses in the world which can benefit by portcity concept.

Further, Colombo too, will have to change to address the above core business areas to reap the real benefits of the concept.

Therefore, reclaiming and developing of present South harbour and reclaiming of the new Galle Face area are compulsory innovations in the concept.

Historic part is the most important aspect which should be highlighted under the tourism concept. Colombo port has more than 500 years of history with the arrival of Portuguese.

There are many buildings and related historical places dating down to 500 years. But due to unplanned development and commercial interests, this valuable history has destroyed, neglected and decayed rapidly.

This is the main point which the government should emphasize to target tourist attraction from the western world.

In England, Bristol Port, Liverpool Port, London Port and Southampton Port are famous for history among the tourists.

The main attraction for these portcities are the historic values of the respective portcity areas. Also, they are promoting the water front, water sports and related other activities while giving prominence to the port activities.

Baltimore Portcity is quite different and they are more focused on the concept of water front and other leisure, and sports activities developed in the area with the portcity.

Therefore, Sri Lanka can learn lessons from Baltimore and other various British Portcities and other ports in the world as model portcities.

Having these novel concepts in the management process, Sri Lanka can achieve many advantages in tangible and untangible sectors.

We have discussed about the portcity concept, evolution of ports and how other countries are functioning this system to achieve their national goals.

Sri Lanka too will be able to achieve this benefit to develop tourism in this country and to develop the maritime business in the country while developing a greater image to the country.

It needs to apply necessary market strategies, like promotion, price and products to market the concept and facilities. The country can take examples from ports like Singapore, in order to promote the port they announced the free port concept which is duty free and intern they lured the whole world to the Singapore port.

Having these innovative concepts, Sri Lanka will also be able to convert Colombo City as one of the world cities in the world one day.

(The writer is a specialist in Transportation Geography and presently working in the Central Bank)

AMET Majesty cruise liner launched

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

MV AMET Majesty the first Indian cruise line's introduction was held in Colombo under the patronage of heads of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board,AMET Shipping recently. AMET Majesty arrived in Colombo on May 3. It will berth for painting and repairs. It will commence touring the Indian Ocean thereafter.

Locals and foreigners will have an opportunity to travel to Asian countries such as India,Pakistan,Bangladesh,Maldives,Thailand and Singapore.

This is the first Indian vessel deployed to serve cruise tourism and will create a novel experience with new opportunities.

This will be an opportunity to enjoy holidays,honeymoon or business meetings. It also will be a fine venue for weddings.

This cruise line will help in the revival of culture,leisure and social development of Sri Lanka and India.

Ceyline Shipping Managing Director Captain Nalin Peiris,AMET Shipping India Pvt,Ltd,Managing Director and CEO P.Bharathi,Vice Chairman Rajesh Ramachandran and Marketing Director Vijay Puthran were present.