Apart from Kandy, all big towns (of more than 80,000 urban inhabitants) on the island of Sri Lanka are coastal towns, namely Colombo, Negombo, Kalmunai, Galle, Batticaloa, and Jaffna. Further important coastal towns are the district capitals of Trincomalee, Hambantota, Matara, Kalutara, Puttalam, Mannar, and Mullaitivu. Though all in all fishery plays a comparatively lesser role in the island's food production than one could expect from an island nations, most small towns along the coastlines have fishing ports.
History of Sri Lanka's Ports
In ancient times, Manthai (Mattota, ancient Mahathiththa) near Mannar in the northwest and Gokanna, today`s Trincomalee in the northwest, were the major ports of the Anuradhapura kingdom. Manthai, among the main seaports closest to Anuradhapura, was the main entry point to Sri Lanka from India, not only for traders but also for invaders. Today, this significant ancient port town does not exist any more. Only it's main Hindu temple, Ketheesvaram, restored in the 19th and 20th century, is still a symbol of Manthai's ancient glory.
On Jaffna Peninsula, the Jambukola on the northern coast was the most significant harbour. Often it is identified with the cove now called Dambakolapatuna, but it might have been slightly further east, near what is now the KKS harbour of Kankesanthurai. According to archaeological findings, Godawaya (once known Gothababbatha)at the river mouth of the Walawe river in the deep south (then the pricipality of kingdom of Rohana) was an entrepot on the so-called silk road of the seas. Kelaniya at the river mouth of Kelani Ganga, near today's port of Colombo, was the main port town on the west coast. It gained in importance after the Polonnaruwa period, when the southwest became the new population center of the Sinhalese, replacing the north-central region as a powerhouse, too. Already earlier in the medieval period, when Muslim sailors dominated the trade in the Indian Ocean, Galle in the very southwest started to play a major role due to its natural harbour.
Though Colombo had been the power center of colonial powers right from the beginning, Galle remained to be the island's most important trade harbour till the age of steam navigation. In 1873, the port of Colombo was artificially enlarged by constructing a new pier. Colombo was like a spider in the web of the road and railway system the British administrators had introduced for commercial activities.
On Jaffna Peninsula, the Jambukola on the northern coast was the most significant harbour. Often it is identified with the cove now called Dambakolapatuna, but it might have been slightly further east, near what is now the KKS harbour of Kankesanthurai. According to archaeological findings, Godawaya (once known Gothababbatha)at the river mouth of the Walawe river in the deep south (then the pricipality of kingdom of Rohana) was an entrepot on the so-called silk road of the seas. Kelaniya at the river mouth of Kelani Ganga, near today's port of Colombo, was the main port town on the west coast. It gained in importance after the Polonnaruwa period, when the southwest became the new population center of the Sinhalese, replacing the north-central region as a powerhouse, too. Already earlier in the medieval period, when Muslim sailors dominated the trade in the Indian Ocean, Galle in the very southwest started to play a major role due to its natural harbour.
Though Colombo had been the power center of colonial powers right from the beginning, Galle remained to be the island's most important trade harbour till the age of steam navigation. In 1873, the port of Colombo was artificially enlarged by constructing a new pier. Colombo was like a spider in the web of the road and railway system the British administrators had introduced for commercial activities.
Major Commercial seaports of Sri Lanka
Currently, there are four significant commercial seaports in Sri Lanka, namely Colombo in the west, Hambantota in the south, Galle in the southwest, and Trincomallee in the northeast.
Covering almost 5 square kilometers, Colombo is by far the biggest seaport of Sri Lanka and among the top 30 commercial ports in the world. More than 60% of Sri Lanka's international maritime trade passes through Colombo. The port was modernised in 2008, when it was dredged to a depth of 15 m for being able to accommodate larger vessels with a deeper draft. Colombo port covers 1200 acres and has now 51 berths. For comparison, India's largest port, Mumbai, has 32 berths in total. The container port of Colombo processes more than 7 million TEUs annually. Though this throughput is only half of that of Rotterdam in the Netherlands and a fifth of that of Singapore, it's not much less than the capacity of the major ports of Thailand or Germany, Laem Chabang resp. Hamburg, for comparison.
Hambantota port, now Sri Lanka's number 2 in capacity, was constructed in 2008 and opened in 2010 in the context of China's belt road initiative, it's given to China on a 99-year lease. Hambantota is located at the south coast and therefore at the major international shipping lane connecting Europe and the Middles East with China and the Pacific region. The new port is still in a development. When completed, the Hambantota could surpass Colombo in capacity in the future.
Among the top 3 trade ports of Sri Lanka, Galle is the only natural harbour. However, the limited water depths does not allow to accommodate large ships. This is why Galle's cargo traffic is decreasing. Galle is Sri Lanka's only port with berthing facilities for pleasure yachts and is has an international reputation as an excellent destination for yachting.
Trincomalee Harbour on the northeastern shores of Sri Lanka is among the largest natural harbours in the world and the deepest harbour in the entire South and Southeast Asian region. That Trincomalee was the by far best harbour at the Golf of Bengal and the only large naturally protected seaport of South Asia was the main reason why the British took possession of the island around 1800, viz. to secure the Indian coastlines and the trade with Bengal. Trincomalee is Sri Lanka's main port for ship repair and maintenance.
Started in 2013, Oluvil Port on Sri Lanka's east coast, just south of Kalmunai, is a smaller but modern harbour started in 2008 with financial support from Denmark. The aim was developing of the Ampara Province, which had suffered much from the civil war. Oluvil cosists of two separate basins, one for cargo and one for fishing vessels, but currently only the fishing port is operational. The commercial port still has not started operating and might turn out to be a failed investment. The port construction is controversial, as it resulted in sea erosion in surrounding coastal villages.
The main trade harbours on the north coast of Jaffna Peninsula are the Port of Point Pedro, which is the northernmost in the country, and Kankesanthurai Harbour. Both are comparatively small in capacity.
Covering almost 5 square kilometers, Colombo is by far the biggest seaport of Sri Lanka and among the top 30 commercial ports in the world. More than 60% of Sri Lanka's international maritime trade passes through Colombo. The port was modernised in 2008, when it was dredged to a depth of 15 m for being able to accommodate larger vessels with a deeper draft. Colombo port covers 1200 acres and has now 51 berths. For comparison, India's largest port, Mumbai, has 32 berths in total. The container port of Colombo processes more than 7 million TEUs annually. Though this throughput is only half of that of Rotterdam in the Netherlands and a fifth of that of Singapore, it's not much less than the capacity of the major ports of Thailand or Germany, Laem Chabang resp. Hamburg, for comparison.
Hambantota port, now Sri Lanka's number 2 in capacity, was constructed in 2008 and opened in 2010 in the context of China's belt road initiative, it's given to China on a 99-year lease. Hambantota is located at the south coast and therefore at the major international shipping lane connecting Europe and the Middles East with China and the Pacific region. The new port is still in a development. When completed, the Hambantota could surpass Colombo in capacity in the future.
Among the top 3 trade ports of Sri Lanka, Galle is the only natural harbour. However, the limited water depths does not allow to accommodate large ships. This is why Galle's cargo traffic is decreasing. Galle is Sri Lanka's only port with berthing facilities for pleasure yachts and is has an international reputation as an excellent destination for yachting.
Trincomalee Harbour on the northeastern shores of Sri Lanka is among the largest natural harbours in the world and the deepest harbour in the entire South and Southeast Asian region. That Trincomalee was the by far best harbour at the Golf of Bengal and the only large naturally protected seaport of South Asia was the main reason why the British took possession of the island around 1800, viz. to secure the Indian coastlines and the trade with Bengal. Trincomalee is Sri Lanka's main port for ship repair and maintenance.
Started in 2013, Oluvil Port on Sri Lanka's east coast, just south of Kalmunai, is a smaller but modern harbour started in 2008 with financial support from Denmark. The aim was developing of the Ampara Province, which had suffered much from the civil war. Oluvil cosists of two separate basins, one for cargo and one for fishing vessels, but currently only the fishing port is operational. The commercial port still has not started operating and might turn out to be a failed investment. The port construction is controversial, as it resulted in sea erosion in surrounding coastal villages.
The main trade harbours on the north coast of Jaffna Peninsula are the Port of Point Pedro, which is the northernmost in the country, and Kankesanthurai Harbour. Both are comparatively small in capacity.
Fishing ports of Sri Lanka
There are more than a dozen deep-sea fishing harbours in Sri Lanka. Almost all of them are are situated on the western and southern coast of the island, between Puttalam near Wilpattu and Kirinda near Yala, but further facilities are planned or under construction in the Northern Province.
Nonetheless, coastal fishery is a major source of income of Tamils and Muslims living on the northern and eastern coasts of Sri Lanka. Fishermen castes form large communities and look back to a long history in this region. Of Sri Lanka’s total marine fish catch of more than 400,000 Mt (in 2019) almost 60% are still coastal fish catch. In total, the fishing sector contributes less than 3% to Sri Lanka's GDP. Particularly the coastal fishing sector faces increasing problems, caused by the international problem of overfishing on the one hand and by shifting currents and fish migration patterns due to climate change on the other hand.
Along the west coast, Puttalam and Chilaw and Negombo are the traditional fishing harbours to the north of Colombo. In 2013, the new Dikkowita Fishery Port, which is situated only 6 km north of Colombo Port, was opened. In this western region, too, fishery is deeply embedded in the culture and one reason, why Roman Catholicism is predmoninat in the coastal towns of villages, as fisherman were regarded low-cast in the Sinhalese and Tamil societies and hence embraced a castless religion. From a touristical perspective, fishing boat rides on so-called catamarans and fish markets are major attractions of Negombo in particular. The largest fishing port on Sri Lanka's tropical southwest coast is that of the Muslim town of Beruwela. In the south, Tangalle is an important fishing harbour. Traditional stilt fishing on the south coast can still be seen in the area of Weligama and Kogalle. But honestly speaking, the tips of tourists taking pictures generate more income for today's stilt fishers than their actual catch during the photo session.
Nonetheless, coastal fishery is a major source of income of Tamils and Muslims living on the northern and eastern coasts of Sri Lanka. Fishermen castes form large communities and look back to a long history in this region. Of Sri Lanka’s total marine fish catch of more than 400,000 Mt (in 2019) almost 60% are still coastal fish catch. In total, the fishing sector contributes less than 3% to Sri Lanka's GDP. Particularly the coastal fishing sector faces increasing problems, caused by the international problem of overfishing on the one hand and by shifting currents and fish migration patterns due to climate change on the other hand.
Along the west coast, Puttalam and Chilaw and Negombo are the traditional fishing harbours to the north of Colombo. In 2013, the new Dikkowita Fishery Port, which is situated only 6 km north of Colombo Port, was opened. In this western region, too, fishery is deeply embedded in the culture and one reason, why Roman Catholicism is predmoninat in the coastal towns of villages, as fisherman were regarded low-cast in the Sinhalese and Tamil societies and hence embraced a castless religion. From a touristical perspective, fishing boat rides on so-called catamarans and fish markets are major attractions of Negombo in particular. The largest fishing port on Sri Lanka's tropical southwest coast is that of the Muslim town of Beruwela. In the south, Tangalle is an important fishing harbour. Traditional stilt fishing on the south coast can still be seen in the area of Weligama and Kogalle. But honestly speaking, the tips of tourists taking pictures generate more income for today's stilt fishers than their actual catch during the photo session.
Beach resorts of Sri Lanka
Several coastal towns and villages have developed into major tourist destination for beach holidays and recreational activities, Ayurvedic treatments in particular. Generally speaking, Sri Lanka's beaches are flat coasts with only few promontories and almost no protected coves along the western shores. Instead, there are several large lagoons. Coves safe for swimming without baywatch support can be found mainly on the south coast. A list of coastal towns that are major destinations of beach holiday makers can be found here...
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