A natural deep-water harbour, Trincomalee for centuries has functioned as a significant commercial city due to its position. As a result, it has garnered the interest of seafarers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders from China and East Asia since ancient times.
In early times, it was known as ‘Gokanna’ and it is the port that Baddakachayana, the consort of the King Panduvasadeva entered the country. The remnants of the region will prove that since the era of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Trincomalee has had a role in history.
As a popular seaport, for centuries it has attracted traders from Europe, Middle East, Africa and China. As a result of its advantageous position, Trincomalee has been a primary interest of the three colonial powers.
During the Kandyan Kingdom, the Portuguese captured the port of Trincomalee. The economy of the Kingdom is based commerce that takes place in the primary ports which included Trincomalee. The Portuguese controlled the economy of the region and determined, the trade relations of the Kandyan Kingdom.
The commercial significance of Trincomalee became evident to the Dutch and seized it in 1636 from the Portuguese. Dominating the imports and the exports of the East, the Dutch controlled the port with an iron fist. However, its real strategic importance was more beneficial for the imperial policies of the British, as regulating trade and distribution of Asia including India could be executed easily. The British annexed the harbour prior to submitting the entire island to the British empire.
Operating as a naval base, Trincomalee played an essential role during World War I and World War II. Even after 1948, the British kept their stronghold over the harbour for nearly a decade before releasing it.
Its geographical position was an invaluable advantage to the British then and even today, Trincomalee takes an active role in international trade and in the geo-politics of the region. .
