Following harbour Pilots started familiarizing themselves with maneuvering vessels at Ruhunu Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port on the 28th of April 2011 for the first time, two more container vessels called at the port during the last tow days for the familiarization of vessel maneuvering at Ruhunu Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port. The  Mega Container vessel “Wan Hai 502” owned by M/s Wan Hai Lines (Pte) Ltd., of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, having a length of 260 meters and heavily laden with containers was on its voyage from Port Kelang Malaysia to Colombo when it first stopped over at Magam Ruhunupura, whilst the vessels ‘Sky Apolo’ having a length of  210 metres, from Madurai in India and ‘OEL Dubai’ having a length of 150 metres, from the port of Kochin  arrived for familiarization of vessel maneuvering at Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port respectively  on Saturday the 30^th April and on Sunday the 01^st May 2011.   The process is scheduled to be  continued with more ships of different capacities and draughts calling at the new port during the coming months. 

With  the  awarding of selected proposals for investors to start industries in Ruhunu Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port,  all cargo brought from different counties should arrive at the  port as they have declared it as their designated port. With the awarding of  Nearly 11 new industries, to commence  work at the port from next few month it will also guarantee an annual income generation for Sri Lanka Ports authority (SLPA).  Parallel to these activities  bunking facility will  also commence operations  sooner with the completion of tank farm project at the  port with the private  sector being privileged initially  to  operate bunker facilities  in port.  

Following its commissioning on 18^th November 2010,  the Mahinda Rajapaksa Port in Magam Ruhunupura also received ISPS Certification as per the IMO recommendation and the UN Locator Code ‘LKHBA’ has also been allocated. Despite several misleading reports published in few print media on the port's inability to accommodate vessels, the above certifications assured the port as an eligible and a safe port for operations.
(CPRD-28042011)