COLOMBO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka is stepping up efforts to position Hambantota Port as a key hub in global maritime trade with a 106-million-U.S.-dollar equipment procurement deal, according to a government statement on Thursday, quoting Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka.
The statement said Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) signed the agreement with Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) to supply advanced quay cranes and rubber-tyred gantries that would significantly enhance the port's competitiveness.
According to the deal, the ZPMC will provide six quay cranes and 16 rubber-tyred gantries to Hambantota Port. It is expected to add a million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of handling capacity to the port.
Karunathilaka said the investment comes as shipping lines seek alternatives amid disruptions around major maritime chokepoints, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.
He said Hambantota Port's location near the East-West shipping route gives Sri Lanka an opportunity to offer secure cargo handling, vessel servicing and logistics operations. ■
