Fifty thousand direct and indirect jobs will be generated once the proposed Hambantota seaport is implemented, a naval engineer told the Daily News. The construction of the first phase will commence in June this year.

The China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd, Sino Hydro Corporation Ltd and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority will involve themselves in the construction work, Sri Lanka Ports Authority sources said.

The construction work will be implemented in four stages. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in 15 years. The construction work will commence with an investment of US dollars 450 Mn.

The Chinese firms will obtain the services of the local engineers.

A 600 metre jetty will be set up for the clearance of cargo containers.

In addition, a 300 metre jetty will be set up to provide services to the ships that arrive on the international naval route.

At the final stages a ship repair unit, a container repair unit and an oil refinery unit will be set up.

A large number of families in Hambantota who will lose their dwellings will be resettled in suitable places after having compensated them, a spokesman for the Hambantota project office told the Daily News.
(DN - 20070516)