- SLN onboard as observers
- No SOP in sight
The much-discussed Chinese geophysical and seismic scientific research vessel Shi Yan 6 (IMO: 9904247) will commence a joint two-day survey tomorrow (30) with a team of scientists from the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) and the Ruhuna University onboard, it is learnt.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Shi Yan 6 was yesterday (28) authorised by the Government to survey the ‘western waters’ of the island on 30 and 31 October with a team of Sri Lankan scientists onboard.
MFA Spokesperson Kapila Fonseka confirmed to The Sunday Morning that the survey would be limited to two days and would be carried out jointly with local scientists from NARA and the Ruhuna University.
It is reliably learnt that a team of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) officers, likely from the Navy Hydrographic Service, will be onboard the Shi Yan 6 during the two-day survey.
The Government, after a prolonged period of negotiations, including some in China, last week granted permission for the Chinese vessel which has stoked controversy to call port in Colombo and carry out replenishment.
The Sunday Morning earlier exclusively reported that the Ministry of Defence had recommended that the survey territories for research be limited to the western coast and to not allow the vessel to survey beyond Hambantota Port.
The vessel had sought permission from the Government in April to carry out a joint survey of the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, with the matter of approval becoming a bone of contention between key Government stakeholders in Colombo.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry earlier this month told the media that Sri Lanka had requested China to delay the vessel’s arrival until next month (November).
The vessel, which is operated by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO) of China, began its 80-day research mission to the Indian Ocean in early September.
Following concerns raised about the visit of research ships by India, the US, and other countries following the Yuan Wang 5 visit last year, Sri Lanka has been under diplomatic pressure to avoid visits by Chinese research vessels, which some countries view as ‘spy ships’ or consider the data generated by such surveys to be ‘dual-purpose’ with military applications.
Sri Lanka recently reviewed its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which had been drafted to grant approval for foreign warships, aircraft, and research vessels to traverse Sri Lankan waters, airspace, and to call at local ports in the wake of the Yuan Wang 5 episode, which strained diplomatic relations between India and Sri Lanka.
Despite the new SOP being approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in early July and President Ranil Wickremesinghe stating in New York that Sri Lanka had consulted India about it, the SOP is yet to be published and put into effect.
When asked, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs repeated what it has been saying for the past two months – that the SOP was ‘being finalised’.