Navy rushes vessel to Chennai to bring oxygen

Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) Shakthi left the Trincomalee harbour for the Port of Chennai, India yesterday morning (17) to bring a shipment of medical grade oxygen to Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the ship will take the delivery of the above item ordered from the Indian government, in order to maintain the required medical grade oxygen stocks for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the island.

To prevent possible delays in the ports in bringing the medical grade oxygen to the country, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne to make arrangements to transport those items by the Navy. Responding swiftly to the directives of the President, Sri Lanka Navy dispatched landing ship tanker SLNS Shakthi to the port of Chennai yesterday morning, to take the freight home urgently.

Accordingly, the naval ship is scheduled to arrive at the port of Chennai, India by this evening (18). Further, the Navy will continue to go ahead with this service as required and stands ready at all times to apply itself at will, with an unwavering spirit to respond to any emergency situation in the country, the Navy said in a media communique.