A high-level delegation from the Embassy of the United States in Sri Lanka made a courtesy call to Hambantota International Port (HIP) recently. The delegation, led by Ms Jayne Howell, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, also included Dustin R. Bickel, Regional Indo-Pacific Strategy Coordinator, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew House, Senior Defence Official, and Lieutenant Commander Ros Lary, Chief of the Office of Defence Cooperation.
The visit concluded with a guided tour of HIP’s terminals and operational zones, including container yards, vehicle handling zones and ship berths. The delegation was also briefed on HIP’s recent upgrades and investments, such as a US$41 million crane expansion that has raised container handling capacity to one million TEUs, extended taking capacity, and a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in vehicle throughput, reaching approximately 700,000 units.
These developments position HIP as a growing multipurpose maritime hub, strategically located along one of the busiest shipping routes in the Indian Ocean. The visit reinforced HIP’s importance as a resilient logistics connector.
Launched in 2017, Hambantota International Port is Sri Lanka’s second largest port, operating under a long-term lease to China Merchants Ports. HIP has been steadily expanding its services, from vehicle transshipment and bunkering to container handling and industrial zone development.
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