Lanka gets on with Galle Port project

Colombo: Sri Lanka's Ministry of Ports and Aviation has taken steps to develop the Galle Port in the south of Sri Lanka into a well equipped port for the South Asian region. Rs. 13.75 billion will be spent on the project.

Detailed plans for the development project will be finalised at the end of this year. The Japan International Solidarity Bank will assist the programme. The agreement for the loan has already been signed between the Sri Lanka government and the Japanese bank.

The port will be improvised to enable traffic from big vessels. An 1150-metre breakwater will be constructed and the harbour entry canal will be deepened up to 12 metres. The port will be equipped with operational machinery and a computer network.

Some 114 ships arrived in the Galle Port in 2005 and 655,454 tonnes of goods were handled.