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Japan trains Sri Lanka on oil spill management
View(s):Specialists from Japan’s Coastguard (JCG) trained 50 Sri Lanka officials on Oil Spill Incident Management, from February 5-15, at the Advance Training Centre in Mirissa, to further strengthen maritime safety in Sri Lanka.
The training in progress
The Chief Guest at the closing ceremony of the training programme held on Friday (15), at the Colombo Port, was Special Advisor to the Prime Minster of Japan, Kentaro Sonoura, MP., here at the invitation of Sri Lanka Coastguard (SLCG) Director General Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalathinge.
This programme was a continuation of a basics implementation programme initiated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the Japanese Coastguard in the mid to latter part of 2014.
The programme carried out later in 2015, focused on the basic aspects of Oil Spill management, with the SLCG being trained on how to combat Tier 1 Oil Spill incidents.
This year’s 2-week training programme catered to officials of varying seniority in the SLCG and focused on more technical aspects, with the SLCG now being able to combat Tier 2 Oil Spill incidents.
Training was carried out on two Fast Patrol Vessels equipped with the facilities to combat oil spill incidents provided to the SLCG by the JCG. JICA and the SLCG also stated that similar training programmes would be implemented in the next two years as well, while the specifics are yet to be agreed upon and finalised.
Japan’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Akira Sugiyama, JCG Officials and the Chief Representative of JICA in Sri Lanka, were among those present at the event.