The Presidential Advisor, Hon Sagala Rathnayake, along with the top level defence hierarchy during their visit to attend the state Thai Pongal ceremony also made a visit to the Kankesanthurai (KKS) harbour premises which is presently being rehabilitated and developed into a commercial port in order to establish a domestic and regional maritime hub.
Once completed, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) will inherit a fully-fledged commercial port equipped with all necessary equipment to handle operations from ships to the land further strengthening Sri Lanka’s efforts to become a regional maritime hub.
Sri Lanka Ports Authority has planned to operate the KKS harbour for economic purposes such as a ferry between Sri Lanka and India, promotion of tourism between the two countries, the internal transportation of goods between KKS and local ports such as Oluvil, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Galle and Colombo.
State Minister of Defence, Premitha Banadara Tennakoon, Defence Secretary, General Kamal Gunaratne (Retd) WWV RWP RSP USP ndc psc MPhil, Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc MPhil, Commanders of Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force, representatives from SLPA and Sri Lanka Customs joined the visit.