Trincomalee Harbour

{{Infobox Port

|name = Trincomalee Harbour

|image = Sri Lanka Navy troop transport catamaran.JPG

|image_size = 250px

|image_caption = Naval ship at Trincomalee

|coordinates = {{coord|08|34|01|N|81|13|52|E|region:LK|display=inline,title}}

|locode = LKTRR{{cite web |title=UNLOCODE (LK) - SRI LANKA |url=https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/lk.htm |website=service.unece.org |accessdate=28 April 2020}}

|opened = Pre-Independence

|sizeland = {{convert|5261|hectare}}

|piers =

|pushpin_map = Sri Lanka

|pushpin_map_zoom = 10

|berths =

|containervolume=

|cargotonnage =

|cargovalue =

|website = http://www.slpa.lk/

}}

Trincomalee Harbour is a seaport in Trincomalee Bay or Koddiyar Bay, fourth largest natural harbour in the world and situated on the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka.

Located by Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, in the heart of the Indian Ocean, its strategic importance has shaped its history. There have been many sea battles to control the harbour. The Portuguese, Dutch, French, and the British have each held it in turn. In 1942 the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Trincomalee harbour and sank three British warships anchored there.

History

Trincomalee Harbour, formerly a British naval base, was taken over by the Inaams Ceylonese government in 1956 to be developed as a commercial port. The base in Trincomalee was fitted out to perform slipway repairs for the Navy.{{Cite web|title = Sri Lanka Navy - Trincomalee Harbor|url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/sri-lanka/navy-trincomalee-harbor.htm|website = www.globalsecurity.org|accessdate = 2015-10-25}}

The harbour is being developed for bulk, and break bulk, cargo and port-related industrial activities including heavy industries, tourism, agriculture, etc. At present SLPA is in the process to re-develop Trincomalee as a metropolis growth center.

Geography

The harbour, one of the largest natural harbours in the world, is overlooked by terraced highlands, and its entrance is guarded by two headlands.{{Cite news|last=Saleem|first=Rishar|date=3 May 2013|title=Trinco Harbour will be developed next – SLPA Chief|publisher=Ceylon Today|url=http://www.ceylontoday.lk/22-31282-news-detail-trinco-harbour-will-be-developed-next-slpa-chief.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518101031/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/22-31282-news-detail-trinco-harbour-will-be-developed-next-slpa-chief.html|archive-date=18 May 2015}} The harbour has 1630 hectares of water, while the entrance channel is 500 metres wide.{{cite web|title=Port of Trincomalee|url=http://www.slpa.lk/port_trincomalee.asp?chk=4|publisher=Sri Lanka Port Authority|accessdate=2012-01-19}} The bay includes the first of a number submarine canyons, making Trincomalee one of the finest deep-sea harbours in the world.{{cite book | last = Stoddart | first = David | title = Process and Form in Geomorphology | publisher = Routledge (UK) | date = 1996-12-26 | isbn = 0-415-10527-7 }}