Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-05-17

Access to the Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI)

- Air emissions from ships show a continuous increase and the Protocol of 1997 to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) was entered into force in International level since 2005, with a view to preventing air pollution caused by ships. Sri Lanka became a party to this Convention which comprises of 05 Annexes, in the year 1997. In order to establish the International Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from ships, the Annex VI has been added newly to the said Convention. Due to the present development activities associated with the shipping and ports sector in the country, Sri Lanka has been subject to adverse effects of air emissions caused by ships and as such, it has become necessary to reduce such air emissions to minimize the effects on health and environment. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President, Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to accede to the Annex VI newly added for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI) and to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation to give effect to the said regulations in Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet.