- Ships can reach East African Countries and the Western Australia directly from Hambantota Port which lies almost in the middle of the maritime course between the Singapore and Dubai, the two main vehicle transhipment hubs presently function close to Sri Lanka. Therefore, taking into consideration the potentiality of improving Hambantota Port as a centre for reshipment, if the operations and management activities carried out after arranging the identified anchors in an appropriate manner, as to attract the vehicle manufacturers who tranship their vehicles, as such, the proposal made by Hon. Arjuna Ranatunga, the Minister of Ports and Shipping, to call for 'Expressions of Interest' and business proposals from the parties interested in carrying out operations of the Phase-I of the Multipurpose Terminal at Hambantota Port as a joint venture with a Ro-Ro vessel / terminal operator, and to appoint a Cabinet Appointed Negotiation Committee to determine successful proposals and make recommendations, was approved by the Cabinet.