H’tota Port begins transhipment trade

Subashini SENANAYAKE

The Hambantota Magampura International Port will enter the transhipment trade when the ship Ellision Sun docks at the harbour bringing a consignment of 1,000 motor cars from Chennai, India today. The 1,000 vehicles loaded at the port will be re-exported to Algeria aboard the ship Asian Legend on June 15, said Sri Lanka Ports Authority chairman Dr Priyath B Wickrema.

Meanwhile, the ship bringing a cargo of 15 cars from Japan to Sri Lanka docked at the Magampura Port on June 4 to unload the vehicles.

“The unloading of imported vehicles and transhipment activities in the future will be carried out at the Magampura Harbour to overcome congestion at the Colombo Port,” Ports and Highways Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said.

He said in keeping with the Mahinda Chintana Future Vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, vehicles brought to the Magampura Port will qualify to a tax concession and the Port will also handle all customs clearance and reshipment work. “This will also save a large sum of money owed to shipping firms as demurrage fees,” the minister said.