Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2023-07-10

Entering into a Memorandum of Understanding for obtaining oil spill monitoring service based on satellite technology

- As the number of vessels sailing in Sri Lankan territorial waters is increasing with the growth of the marine industry and port development, it has been identified the necessity to establish a system to quickly obtain information about oil spills caused by vessels. By having such a system, it will be possible to take quick steps to prevent marine pollution caused by vessels, to identify the vessels responsible for it and to take relevant legal actions. Accordingly, the Ministry for the Economy and Finance of France has agreed to provide a grant of Euro 601,810 through Collected Localization Satellites, as a pilot project and the draft Memorandum of Understanding proposed to be signed has received the clearance of the Attorney General. The proposal made by the Minister of Urban Development and Housing to sign the said Memorandum of Understanding, was approved by the Cabinet.