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How Sri Lanka managed to tackle oil slick from stricken supertanker
International salvage experts boarding the fire-stricken oil tanker, New Diamond, in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka’s eastern coast.(Photo: Sri Lanka Navy)
The Sri Lanka Air Force airdropped dispersal-chemicals on the surface oil slick, created by the stricken oil tanker that caught on fire recently, to break down oil into smaller droplets that readily mix with water. It minimises the detrimental impact on the marine environment. Boats had been dispatched to the area to divide the oil slick into manageable portions, Marine Environment Protection Authority’s (MEPA) Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara said.
Kumara added that the oil slick was currently spread in a two nautical mile area, close to the damaged Super Tanker and slick could still pose a threat to Sri Lanka’s marine environment, especially fish species, sea mammals and o crustaceans.
Kumara said that in addition to Rs. 340 million sought by the Sri Lankan government for operations undertaken by its Air Force and Navy to prevent a far greater marine catastrophe, the country would seek Rs. 4 billion for the damages caused to its marine environment.
The MT New Diamond super tanker was transporting 270,000 MT of crude oil from the port of Meena Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to the Port of Paradip in India when a fire broke out in its engine room, killing a crew member and causing serious burn injuries to its engineer in the eastern seas of Sri Lanka on September 3, 2020.
The ship was sailing 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point, Ampara when it caught fire with an explosion in a boiler in the ship’s main engine room.
The distressed oil tanker in eastern seas was manned by 23 crew members comprising five Greeks and 18 Philippine nationals.
Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor (NSA) Sagala Ratnayaka led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier Security Summit held in Singapore from 2 – 4 June 2023.
The highly anticipated summit commenced on 2 June with a powerful Keynote address delivered by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Throughout the event, a series of plenary sessions delved into various crucial geo-political issues, encompassing the establishment of a stable and balanced Asia Pacific, the resolution of regional tensions, the evolution of maritime security in Asia, US leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and China’s latest security initiatives, among other topics.
During the Special Session focusing on ‘Defence Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region,’ Ratnayaka delivered an impactful statement, participating alongside representatives from India, Oman, France, and the United States. He emphasized the significance of keeping big power rivalries and external conflicts out of the Indian Ocean, highlighting Sri Lanka’s efforts in the United Nations to declare the region as a zone of peace. Furthermore, he underscored the country’s contributions to preserving freedom of navigation and over flight, stressing the crucial need for constructive dialogue among all stakeholders in the Indian Ocean region to pursue shared interests.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal raised by the Minister of Health to reduce the maximum retail price of 60 medicines by 16% with effect from 15.06.2023 and review the price of medicines every three months
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Sagala Ratnayaka leads Sri Lanka delegation to 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue
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