Rotterdam cruise liner calls at H’tota port

Holland America’s 230-metre long passenger liner ‘Rotterdam’ with 1164 passengers and 598 crew on board docked at the Hambantota Port at about 7.00 a.m. yesterday. 

‘Rotterdam’ which arrived from the port of Kochhin in India is the largest passenger liner to dock at Hambantota Port and was due to set sail for the Port of Thilawa in Myanmar at 10 p.m. last night.

Day tours to various places in and around Hambantota including the Yala National Park, Bundala Bird Sanctuary, Kirinda, Tissamaharama and Kataragama had been arranged for disembarking passengers.Passenger liners calling at the MMRP Hambantota is a boon to the ailing tourist industry and service providers of the Hambantota area.

(Text and pictures by P D de Silva)