Decommissioned warships are not sold as they are ‘national assets’

by SURESH PERERA

As decommissioned naval vessels are considered a country’s “national assets”, it is an age-old tradition to sink unserviceable warships in the ocean irrespective of their commercial value, a senior Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) official said.

Nowhere in the world are old naval ships sold even for their scrap metal value as these vessels have dutifully served the nation with honor and pride, says Captain Indika de Silva, SLN’s official spokesman.

Warships are commissioned on a special presidential warrant, he outlined. “Hence, they are a part of our national wealth”.

He was responding to questions on the Navy’s move to sink two old warships, ‘Weeraya’ and ‘Jagatha’, which were decommissioned at Tuesday’s ceremonial farewell under the auspices of Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne at the Naval Dockyard in Trincomalee.

The two ships were part of the Third Fast Gun Boat Squadron, which rendered an invaluable service to the Navy for more than four decades to ensure the security of Sri Lankan waters.

Of course, decommissioned warships can be given to a friendly country for their use after refurbishment, Capt. de Silva elaborated. “However, in the case of the two Sri Lankan vessels, they are now too old to sail as they were built in 1961”.

“The vessels were given to Sri Lanka by China in 1972 and 1980, respectively, and it was an engineering marvel that they were kept operational for 40 plus years despite the inbuilt old technology in them”, he explained.

Sinking decommissioned warships in the ocean is not considered a “waste” as they create new habitats for marine species. In fact, they serve as an artificial reef for marine life, he noted.

“Even old, unusable armoured carriers are sunk in the sea”, he continued.

Referring to the Indian Navy’s Centaur-class aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which was the world’s longest-serving warship, Capt. de Silva said moves to convert the 1940s-built ship into a museum at a cost of 400-500 crore were abandoned and now the 27,800 ton vessel has been lined up for dismantling.

India’s Union Shipping Minister regretted that efforts to convert the warship into a museum could not succeed. He said several consultations were done but the plan could not materialize as an expert committee reported that the vessel would not last for more than a decade, according to reports.

Interestingly, Alang, which is the last resting place for ships, INS Viraat is the first warship to be dismantled, where annually around 280 ships from across the world are brought to be dismantled.

Earlier, French aircraft carrier Clemenceau was supposed to sail to Alang for dismantling but a massive controversy thwarted the efforts to bring the aircraft carrier, reports further said.