The tank farm complex and bunkering terminal at Hambantota port has opened. The Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (MRMRP) was inaugurated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in June.

 

The tank farm, with a storage capacity of 80,000 cbm for marine fuel oil, aviation fuel oil and LPG, has five upright domed tanks of 10,000 cbm, three upright domed tanks of 5,000 cbm, three upright domed tanks of 3,000 cbm, and three spherical LPG tanks of 2,000 cbm, plus all necessary auxiliary facilities. The project will provide bunkering services for ships and domestic requirements for LPG and aviation oil.

 

The marine jetty comprises two berths of 300m each in length with a draft of 15m. Each jetty is equipped with eight loading/unloading arms with segregation for heavy fuel, gas oil, aviation fuel and LPG. The jetty is fitted with high quality fenders, quick release hooks for ships, lines, radar display of ship movements for safe berthing to the pilot and ship staff.

 

For bunkering operations, there are separate loading and unloading pipelines to ensure uninterrupted services for both the bunkering vessels and import/export vessels in continuing its normal operations.

 
All the pipelines within the tank farm area and the connections to the jetty area, which are used for heavy fuel oil, are fitted with heating coils to ensure maximum flow rate can be maintained whilst having to avoid cleaning/flushing of lines.

 

The terminal is equipped with a fully automated facility to blend various products which enhances the scope of the facility and cater to the various requirements including in-house as well as bunker supplies thus increasing the efficiency of the plant.

 

The bunkering facility is fitted with flow meters making it the first terminal in Sri Lanka to be fitted with this high precision equipment. The terminal has inshore truck loading facilities to transport and distribute products in land.

 

An additional feature is Hambantota is that it will be one of the few ports in the region with a modern, state-of-the-art reception facility for slops and waste oil from vessels.

 
The waste oil reception plant has a storage capacity of 500 cbm and will enable vessels passing Sri Lanka to discharge oily waste in compliance with MARPOL regulations. The treatment system is also built to collect and treat the oily water coming from the tank farm, pump house, gantry and other areas in the project.

 

The plant has a designed capacity of 250 cbm a day for treating and separation of oily water. Separated waste oil will feed local cottage industries or sold for use in industrial boilers, space heaters, asphalt plants, cement and lime kilns and blast furnaces.

 

 

7th September 2014