A team of officials from the Sumidagawa Shipyard, Japan visited the Rear Head Quarters of Sri Lanka Coast Guard in Colombo on 12thDecember 2017. These top-management officials were visiting Sri Lanka to assess the availability of infrastructure facilities on maintaining the two ships build by the shipyard. These two vessels are scheduled to join SLCG Fleet in mid-2018.

Dec 15, 2017

HE the High Commissioner of Australia in Sri Lanka, Mr. Bryce Hutchesson visited Sri Lanka Coast Guard Headquarters in Mirissa on 13th December 2017. The High Commissioner was accompanied by Mr. Michael Newman and Mr. Alex Hutchesson. A cordial discussion was held between DG Coast Guard and the visiting High Commissioner on the matters of mutual interests that included training programmes with the Australian Boarder Force and other in the form of Lifesaving training. DG briefed the High Commissioner on the progress of CG personnel who were trained by the Australian authorities. The discussions also covered matters related to the future expansions in the field of training. Both officials exchanged mementos to mark the occasion.

Dec 15, 2017

The Four-Day long Oil Spill Response Exercise, simulating an oil spill from the CG’s OPV off Dikovita was concluded on 7th December. This exercise involved 276 personnel including 10 Air Force personnel, SLCG Suraksha and 06 IPCs where all instruments in CG inventory were put to use to assess the CG capacity and capability to handle Oil Spills at open seas. On the morning of the final day, all sea-borne equipment was brought back to the storage site situated at the fisheries harbour in Dikovita. These were cleaned and securely transported back to the storage units at Dikovita under the supervision of relevant directorates. In the evening, an on-site de-brief was conducted to officially wind up the simulated exercise. De-briefing analysed the exercise and identified potential of Sri Lanka Coast Guard to handle a similar situation and also identified areas needed to be improved. This exercise is one among many other exercises scheduled by Sri Lanka Coast Guard to enhance their capabilities and skills to provide optimum service to the country.

Dec 10, 2017

Today, (5th of December, 2017) is the second day of the simulated exercise on Oil Spill Response which is being conducted off Dikovita. In the morning, SLCG "Suraksha", an OPV of the Coast Guard loaded oil containment booms, fast tanks and exercise teams and sailed from the Port of Colombo to the exercise area for anchorage. The supporting units, IPC’s and other assigned craft loaded balance items and moved from Dickovita Fishery Harbour to the exercise area and deployed oil spill equipment at site and remained overnight for the exercise.

Dec 07, 2017

Today, (6th of December, 2017) is the third day of the simulated exercise on Oil Spill Response which is being conducted off Dickovita.

Dec 07, 2017

Today, (4th of December, 2017) Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) commenced a week-long simulated exercise on Oil Spill Management based on its experiences in managing oil spills in the island. The aim of the exercise is to self-evaluate SLCG capacity and capability to undertake an oil spill management in open seas using the newly acquired OPV SLCG Suraksha as the Command and Control Platform. As the first day of the exercise, personnel who were trained in Oil Spill management either abroad or in-country shared their knowledge and refreshed their learning using items in the inventory.

Dec 06, 2017

Coast Guard Craft CG 401 attached to the Northern Region on routine patrol recovered two (2) Polythene bags consisting of 25 parcels (each approx weight 2.2 Kg) of Kerala Cannabis (total weight 55.4 Kg) floating at location approximately 5 nautical miles North of Thondamannaru area on AM 19 Nov 17. On the previous night CG 401 has detected a suspicious fishing boat moving southwards crossing IMBL and same was intercepted and thoroughly searched, but has found no suspicious items onboard. However, due to the suspicious behaviour of the two persons in the boat, surrounding area was searched at dawn on 19thand around 0615 hrs observed that two parcels wrapped with pink colour polythene is floating at above location. It is suspected that the smugglers have thrown this contraband overboard when they were intercepted by the Coast guard vessel.

Nov 21, 2017

A new state of the art 30m Type Patrol Boat, presented by Japan was launched by the State Minister of Defence Hon. Ruwan Wijewardene at the Sumidagawa Shipyard Co. Ltd premises in Tokyo on Monday (06th November 2017). The State Minister visited the shipbuilding company during his visit to Japan on a special invitation extended by that country.

Nov 08, 2017

A multiday fishing boat (Kalana Putha 1, Registered No IMUL/A/0175/TCO) which ran aground at Coral Point, Ilankanthei, Sampur on 31st October 2017 raised concerns for a possible oils spill due to its Diesel tanks. Thus, Sri Lanka Coast Guard Oil Spill Response Team (OSRT) was dispatched from Colombo to investigate and mitigate the potential threat of an oil spill due to the fractured hull.

Nov 06, 2017

Coast Guard personnel of Panadura with Officers of the Police Operations Branch Officers, accompanied by the National Medicine Regulatory Authority carried out a raid on 30th October 2017 in a pharmacy at Morohonthuduw, Wadduwa and arrested a pharmacist with 1144 pills of PREGAB 150mg whilst being sold without prescription of a medical officer. A stock of 310 tablets of TRAMADOL-X 225mg (APPLE), which is an illegal drug in Sri Lanka, were also recovered from the same spot. Arrested person with Drugs were handed over to Morohonthuduwa Police for further investigation legal action.

Nov 05, 2017