News
Mid sea oil discharge facility averts fuel crisis
“Otherwise it would have sunk like a stricken ship’
by Suresh Perera
Sri Lanka has averted a major fuel crisis by overhauling the Single Point Buoy Mooring (SPBM), which was virtually crumbling as it had not been refurbished since being installed in 2010.
It would have spelled disaster if this offshore facility had collapsed as it’s the key link that handles the transfer of liquid cargo from oil tankers to the Muthurajawala oil tank farm, which meets 60% of the country’s demand for petrol, diesel and jet fuel, a senior official said.
The grueling overhaul, described as a “remarkable feat” by Sri Lankan engineers and technical officers, was completed without any costly foreign expertise, which translated into a substantial additional foreign exchange saving for the country, he stressed.
Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal Limited (CPSTL) engineers and technical experts handled the complicated dismantling and re-installation of the SPBM, while Colombo Dockyard undertook the refurbishing.
The SPBM was originally imported from the US at a cost of US$ 10 million and installed in 2010. Though the offshore facility has to be serviced every five years due to exposure to salty sea water, it was not done in 2015 due to the apathy of a senior official during the previous government, he asserted.
A SPBM is difficult to procure in a hurry despite its enormous cost as it takes one year to be fabricated and delivered, he explained.
Engineers who earlier inspected the offshore facility found it in a virtual state of collapse with the 39 anodes, each weighing 75 kilos, dissolved and the iron fittings heavily corroded, the senior official said.
“If we had not got down to the overhaul job, it would have sunk like a stricken ship within six months”, he remarked.
He said that if the offshore buoy had crashed, Sri Lanka would have been able to stock only half of the country’s fuel requirements as it takes four to five days to unload an oil tanker for storage at the Kolonnawa terminal.
Though the overhaul was estimated to cost Rs. 500 million, the job was completed by local engineering experts for Rs. 425 million despite the spike in the US dollar, he noted.
If not for the callous indifference of a “square peg in a round hole” overseeing operations in 2015, the damage to the facility would not have been so extensive as what should have been attended to in five years was neglected and allowed to drag on for a decade, the official opined.
He said that it was due to the intervention of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila and CPSTL Chairman M. Uvais Mohamed that the country was able to prevent a grave fuel crisis.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
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