page_title: Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port
section_title: Construction and opening
hierarchical_section_title: Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port / History / Construction and opening
caption_attribution_description: English: හම්බන්තොට
context_page_description: The Hambantota Port was to be a maritime port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first ceremonial berthing of the naval ship "Jetliner" to use the port facilities. It is named after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. Total estimated construction cost of the Phase 1 of the project is US$361 million, out of which 85% was funded by the EXIM Bank of the People's Republic of China.
  Construction of the port commenced in January 2008. It will be Sri Lanka's second largest port, after the Port of Colombo. The Port of Hambantota will serve ships travelling along the east-west shipping route which passes six to ten nautical miles south of Hambantota. The first phase of the port project will provide bunkering, ship repair, ship building, and crew change facilities. Later phases will raise capacity of the port up to 20 million TEUs per year. When completed, it is claimed it will be the biggest port constructed on land to date in the 21st century.
context_section_description: Construction started on 15 January 2008, the Hambantota Port  and was constructed by the Chinese companies China Harbour Engineering Company and Sinohydro Corporation. The total cost of the first phase of the project is estimated at $360 million, excluding $76.5 million for the bunker terminal. 85% of the funding was provided by the Chinese Government and the remaining 15% by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
  Initially set to open in the first half of 2011, five months ahead of schedule, the first phase of the project was completed by November 2010.
  The harbor was formally declared open on 18 November 2010, by Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa with a ceremonial berthing of a vessel at the port. After sailing 90 nautical miles from the Naval Base in Galle, Sri Lanka Navy's ship "Jetliner" was the first vessel to drop anchor at the harbor. Two vessels, Pradeepa 2 (a traditional sailing yacht)  and a commercial cargo ship followed the jetliner ceremonially sailing into the new harbour. Pradeepa 2 was chosen in recognition of Sri Lanka's age old role as a key stopping point on the ancient east-west silk trading route. Workers unloaded the first consignment of international cargo from Myanmar from the vessel "Seruwila" at the auspicious time of 06:21 GMT. A first day cover and a special commemorative stamp were issued by the Department of Post - Sri Lanka to mark the event. The launch of the second phase of the development of the port commenced at 06:27 GMT on the same day. There is also a move to create this port as a free port due to its commercial inactivity.
  However the Rajapaksa government turned down many proposals such as floating dock by China harbour Coroporation with a local investor, a proposal by a middle eastern firm to operate oil storage and bunkering was turned down due to influence from a young minister who wanted to make profit by keeping the activities under their control. Proposals for bottling factories, sugar bagging plants and grain processing plants were also refused.
  
  The port made losses of Rs.18.8 Billion resulting the debt payment burden falling on tax payers. After the fall of Rajapaksa government Prime Minister Ranil wickremesinghe visited China to solve the issue. As a result, Sri Lanka entered into a PPP agreement with China Merchants Port company to revitalize the Port alongside the creation of a large Special Economic Zone of 15,000 acres However the plans including the Special Economic Zone received heavy opposition from Rajapaksa who threatened with social unrest.
caption: Hambantota Port Tower
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