A new fisheries harbour built on Sri Lanka''s east coast with Danish aid is said to be meeting a critical need for vessel berthing and fish processing facilities in the region, reports Chandani Jayatilleke.
The harbour, which was completed late-summer, features modern cold storage facilities with a capacity of 500t for fish storage and processing and a yard area for fishing gear.
The project in the remote fishing hamlet started in July 2008 with an interest free loan of €46m with a 10-year payback period from Nordea Bank, Denmark. Hojgaard carried out the dredging of the 16 hectare harbour basin.
The island's east coast is considered best for tuna fishing but had lacked storage facilities. Officials in the industry joke that fish die of old age around the island given the abundance of stock in the EEZ, most of which are exploited by foreign ships.
Sri Lanka Ports Authority chairman Priyath Wickrama said the new port will handle deep sea fishing vessels and cargo ships serving the region's local industries.
A general cargo berth for 5,000dwt capacity vessels has also been built. The commercial harbour and fisheries harbour have provision for expansion in the future.
Studies show that less than 10% of Sri Lanka's fish catch is exported, indicating the huge opportunity for marine fisheries along the coastal and continental shelf for which significant capital investment is needed.
A cold storage trucking service from the east to the international airport on the west near Colombo is another requirement, as overland transport takes 8-10 hours. Existing methods using ice blocks are not considered suitable as the ice melts quickly.
The project was delayed by more than a year owing to the need to relocate families, excavate rock in the harbour basin, and problems with erosion and in quarrying rock needed for construction.
