Pre commissioning of tank farm at MRMRP commences

The Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama initiating the unloading of Marine Gas Oil for the pre commissioning work. Managing Director of SLPA -Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Chief Engineer of Southern Port Development Agil Hewageegana are also in the picture.

With completion of Phase I of Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) in Hambantota, several ventures have already given boost to operation, the latest being bunker operation that will commence in the near future.

M.V. Leon - M the fuel tanker from Singapore called at the MRMRP on July 1 with several loads of Marine Gas Oil for testing and pre commissioning of the bunker facilities at the MRMRP.

The unloading of the fuel from the vessel to the tank farm at MRMRP was initiated by the Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama. Managing Director of SLPA - Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Chief Engineer of Southern Port Development Agil Hewageegana and a number of related staff members & employees of SLPA, also attended the event. The loads were sample tested in Colombo by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. At the initial stage of pre commissioning, 7,000 Marine Gas Oil would be pumped to Marine oil tanks at the tank farm in MRMRP. Accordingly, during the coming weeks the facility will be tested for accuracy and efficiency of pumps, lines and tanks for smoother bunker operations. Once the testing is over, the facility will be made available for bunker operations. The tank farm of MRMRP facilitates three Aviation fuel tanks out of which one is with 3,000 m3 capacity and 02 with 10,000 m3 capacity each.

The tank farm also facilitates 08 tanks for bunkering of Marine fuel out of which 2 with 3,000 m3 capacity each, 3 with 5,000 m3 capacity each and 3 with 10,000 m3 capacity each.35 trainees of SLPA, 12 members of the technical staff, 15 fire fighters are also being trained on the bunkering process parallel to the pre commissioning of the tank farm at MRMRP. At present, MRMRP has been utilized as a successful automobile transshipment handling center that handled nearly 4,500 transshipment units from 31 automobile vessels during the last six months of last year.

MRMRP has completed operations of 3,873 units from 25 automobile vessels during the first quarter of 2013. In parallel to the constructions of MRMRP, SLPA has also received investment proposals from prospective local and foreign investors to establish industries and business within the port premises. Currently, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved seven investment proposals, subsequent to the recommendations by the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee with the assistance of the Technical Evaluation Committee.

M.V. Leon - M the fuel tanker from Singapore being berthed at the MRMRP

Out of the 8, Thatta Cement Company (Pvt) Ltd, Hambana Petrochemicals Ltd. (HPL) and Lanka Sugar Rifine Company (Private) Limited have already commenced constructions of their industries at the port.

MRMRP commissioned in 2010 along with the Mahinda Chinthana policy document of the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is rapidly reaching its developmental goals to bring prosperity and strengthen socio-economic development of Sri Lanka. Under guidance of the President and instructions by Minister of Ports and Highways (Projects) Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Sri Lanka Ports Authority led by its Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, has initiated and implemented a number of projects including the development of MRMRP, Colombo Port Expansion Project, Oluvil Port Project, Galle, Trincomalee and KKS port developments to develop Sri Lanka as the next maritime hub of the regent.