LHI’s design project wins accolades

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Lanka Hydraulic Institute (LHI), consultants in coastal and hydraulic engineering with expertise in design, modelling and field investigations has developed a port design project similar to Hambantota for the development of the ICS Marine Terminal at Mboro, Senegal in West Africa, LHI Engineering Manager Sanjeewa Wickramaratna told Daily News Business.

The project worth of USD 10,000 was completed within six months last year bringing lot of credit to the country which is a good example of Sri Lankan talent.

Wickramarathna said that the local team visited the site in Senagal and submitted the report last month which is a milestone for LHI in its history. There are lot of competent people in Sri Lanka and just six Sri Lankans were involved in the project at a very low cost.

The client Industries Chimiques Du Senegal (ICS) is negotiating with contractors to construct the harbour within the next two years.

The project meant to further expand import and export facilities and, a new marine terminal is proposed at Grande Cote, 8km South-West of the city of Mboro, and about 15km from the acid manufacturing plant in Darou. The design includes a jetty, with two berths for ships of about 40,000 DWT. Future expansions are planned within one to two years for ships of 75,000 to 80,000 DWT.

The activities of ICS’s port terminal essentially include unloading imported raw materials (Sulphur, Boracine, and Potash) and loading exported ICS products (marketable phosphate and fertilizer). In addition, the Mboro site imports Ammonia and exports Phosphoric acid through sea lines.

Senegal is the world’s 4th largest producer of high quality Phosphoric Acid (P2O5); and Phosphates for the growing needs of global fertilizer production. Its estimated Phosphate reserves reach upto 100 million tons with a lifespan of more than 40 years.