Groundbreaking Investment: Japanese Firm Develops Hambantota Port

News Today: Japanese Firm to Invest and Develop Hambantota Port

Colombo Dockyard, a unit of Japan’s Onomichi group, will invest to boost afloat repairs at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota International Port, which is run by China’s CM Ports. The Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) announced that it had signed an agreement with Colombo Dockyard to construct a state-of-the-art ship repair workshop at the port.

“HIP’s position along the east-west routes of the Indian Ocean makes it an ideal site for developing and expanding ship repair services,” Johnson Liu, Chief Representative of the CM Group in Sri Lanka and Chief Executive of HIPG, said in a statement. “The capacity to handle large volumes of repair work combined with CDPLC’s expertise will make this partnership a vital part of the port’s operations.”

The Managing Director of Onomichi Dockyard Company, Japan, and Director of Colombo Dockyard, Kunio Kobatake, recently visited Hambantota Port. Colombo Dockyard, which has dry docks and ship-building facilities at Colombo Port, is prepared to invest one million dollars in a new afloat ship repair facility.

“Our collaboration with Hambantota International Port has been mutually beneficial,” Thimira S. Godakumbura, Managing Director of Colombo Dockyard, said. “The port’s facilities allow us to offer advanced afloat repair services to a wide range of ships, including some of the largest ocean-going vessels. We anticipate a significant increase in business with the new state-of-the-art facility, ensuring that HIP becomes the premier destination for afloat repairs in the Indian Ocean region.”

The new ship repair workshop will enhance Hambantota Port’s current services, aiding its strategy of becoming a multipurpose port, Liu added. This development underscores the growing international interest in Sri Lanka’s ports and their strategic significance in global maritime routes.