Although the Galle Bay forms a natural harbour it is
only protected from the east monsoon and is subjected to the ravages of the southwest monsoon. The entry
and exit from the bay for shipping is difficult especially during the south west monsoon due to a
combination of the swells and the presence of underwater rocks and reefs. The eastern part of the bay is
not used as an anchoring area during the southwest monsoon season.
The Galle port existed as the only port in the island until the 1890's when some activities were
transferred to the Colombo port. However export cargoes such as tea, rubber and copra and imports of rice
and sugar continued to be handled in Galle port up to the 1930's from the jetties located near the Dutch
Fort.
The present port was constructed in 1971 by bridging the cloenberg bay with a rubble mound and extending
the rubble mound westward from Gibbot island to from the breakwater behind which land was reclaimed for the
construction of a quay and warehouses and by a rubble mound perpendicular to the coast from the northern
side to form the fishery harbour breakwater to construct a fishery harbour facility.
Southern area serviced by the port of Galle is heavily dependent on agriculture, the main exportable
agriculture commodity is tea followed by rubber, coconut, and cinnamon. Its industry is limited to cement
manufacture, which is consumed locally, coconut based products and the industries derived from the
export-processing zone in Koggala. The other major industry in the area, which at present has on the port,
is tourism. |
EXISTING PORT FACILITIES
The width of the entrance to the harbour is 152m. The quay wall of
length 420m starts from the root of the main breakwater. A 60m length of the quay from the western end is
in shallow water and is meant for smaller crafts while the remaining length has depths of 8.9m. On the
north east of the harbour is a jetty of length 160m and a wharf of 86m both having dredged depths of 9m.
The longer berth could accommodate a vessel of 8000 Dwt vessels. Harbour basin is dredged to a depth of 9m.
Behind the main quay are two warehouses of 2000 m2 and 4000 m2 meant for food cargo. The land behind the
warehouse is leased to two cement companies bagging bulk Cement imported through bulk carries and pumped
through pipelines connected directly to silos of the packing plants.
Water is supplied to vessels from an overhead tank through a pipeline connected to the quay. During the dry
season when water is in short supply the shipping agents supply their vessels, water brought from outside
through water bowsers.
Behind the warehouse is a railways siding with a platform. A railway line connected to the main railway
network had been in operation and presently in disrepair due to a long period of disuse. A pipeline for
unloading refined petroleum products is installed in the quay wall. The petroleum products are pumped to
storage tanks owned by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation situated outside the port.
Pilotage is compulsory and is provided by the Deputy Harbour master of the SLPA for all vessels except
those exempted by him for entering or leaving port. The port is a day light port (6 am to 6 pm) and has no
lit navigational aids. A bell buoy and 6 buoys are provided.
The southwest anchorage located 2.4 km from the lighthouse west of the central channel. And the central
channel, which has a depth of 9.8m, is presently used for commercial shipping.
A ship entering the harbour has to turn its directions by 1200 at the entrance. This maneuvering is done by
its own engines. A single tug with a bollard pull of 20T is available to assist if required. This
operation is difficult during the height of the southwest monsoon. After entering the harbour the vessel is
turned by 1800 on anchorage with the assistance of a tug. Since the turning basin is 250m length of ships
entering the port is restricted to about 130m.
CARGO THROUGHPUT
Main users of this port are the two cement investors namely Holcim
Lanka limited and Ambuja cement (PVT) Ltd. The former imports clinker and gypsum in bulk and crush them
into bags. The latter imports cement in bulk and bags it to the local market. Both two companies suffer
from the shallow draft of Colombo harbour because transportation of cement/clinker by larger marine
carriers considerably reduces the cost of finished goods.
Unlike the bulk cargo, volume of the break bulk cargos is decreasing year by year. Up to 2001 flours are
unloaded at this port, none of this cargo was handled in 2002. Rice and sugar have not been passed through
this port for the last 5 years. One of the major issues for this port is how the port can attract the
general cargo.
Koggala export processing zone (KEPZ) was set up in 1992 and is located in the vicinity of Galle port.
KEPZ has an area of 224 acres of which about 100 acres are in operation. 10 - 20 companies are in operation
in the KEPZ and many are garment related industry. It is said that progress of this EPZ has been very slow
due to mainly transportation problems.
SOUTHERN HIGHWAY
To solve transportation problems and promote economic development in
the southern region, construction of the new southern Highway, Sri Lanka's first expressway was commenced
in 2003. The highway will link Colombo with the southern city of Galle and the south coast, and passes
through one of the most densely populated areas.
The highway is 140 km long and basically two lane wide while a portion near Colombo is 4 lane wide, and
expected to be completed by 2006-07. ADB-funded portion, which is near Galle, will be finished within 42
months.
This highway will significantly influence the use and potential of Galle port because travel time between
Colombo and Galle will be reduced by 90 minutes. Colombo and Galle ports have been regarded as an
independent port with each other, and each has different hinterland. Completion of the highway may have a
chance to combine them as a single port, or interact with each other. Effects of the completion of the
highway must be taken into consideration developments direction of Colombo and Galle ports. |
Port Info
The main ports in Sri Lanka are three in number - namely Colombo,
Galle and Trincomalee. Colombo and Galle are both man made, while Trincomalee is one of the World's
largest natural Harbours. All three have alongside berths.
