Navy earns Rs.2.3 billion from OSBT operations

Sri Lanka Navy has earned Rs. 2.33 billion from Onboard Security Team Operations (OBST) during the past year, Navy said. According to navy, after taking over the OBST operations from Avant Garde Maritime Services Ltd from November last year, it has been able to earn this amount during the past one year period for the Government.

Operations from November last year to this year, it has seen a total of 6,646 ship movements of which the Galle operations center has carried out 6150 movements while the Colombo center has carried out 496 movements. The earnings generated through OBST operations are directly deposited in the Consolidated Fund of the Sri Lanka Government.

With the cancelation of the previous agreement, Sri Lanka Navy was entrusted with the task of providing security to merchant vessels and supplying services to Security Firms involved in providing onboard security for merchant ships. The Navy took over these duties following a special directive of President Maithripala Sirisena.

Since taking over the operations navy is involved in providing services to merchant ships carrying mainly weapons and ammunitions. It also ensures that security requirements of the merchant vessels frequenting the High Risk Area (HRA) are met efficiently by naval personnel at Galle and Colombo horbours.

The Galle and Colombo operation centers look after the receiving, holding and issuing of weapons, ammunitions and other related equipment belonging to foreign as well as local On Board Security Teams.