The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal put forth by the Urban Development and Housing Minister to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to obtain a satellite technology-based oil spill monitoring service. Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana made this announcement during the weekly Cabinet media briefing held at the Government Information Department.
With the shipping industry and port development experiencing growth, there has been an increase in the number of ships navigating Sri Lankan waters. Consequently, it has become imperative to establish a system that can swiftly gather information about oil spills caused by ships. Such a system would enable prompt measures to prevent marine pollution, identify the responsible vessels, and take appropriate legal actions. As a pilot project, the Economics and Finance Ministry of France has agreed to provide a grant of 601,810 Euros through Collected Localization Satellites (CLS) to support this endeavor.
The draft Memorandum of Understanding prepared for this purpose has received clearance from the Attorney General’s office. Subsequently, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Urban Development and Housing Minister to proceed with signing the MoU, solidifying Sri Lanka’s commitment to effective oil spill monitoring with the aid of satellite technology.
