France to provide Euro 601,810 grant for satellite-based monitoring system for marine oil spill detection

Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said a satellite-based monitoring system for marine oil spill detection and surveillance in Sri Lankan waters will be initiated.

Minister Ranatunga has already submitted the relevant Cabinet paper for the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers.

A Memorandum of Understanding is to be signed between the French government and the Sri Lankan government to start the related projects.

Minister also said that the implementation of this project can generate massive foreign exchange for this country.

A marine oil spill detection scheme based on satellite technology is to be started as a short-term pilot project initially. Accordingly, the Ministry of Economics and Finance in France will provide 601,810 Euros as a grant.

Accordingly, the relevant cabinet paper has also proposed signing an agreement between Collected Localization Satellites (CLS) and the Marine Environmental Protection Authority to obtain the oil spill monitoring service based on satellite technology to be effective for one year.

The project has aimed at protecting the coastline of the country by reducing the risks and impacts to the environment, public health, and economic activities by early detection of fuel spills, establishing a monitoring system for ship-related oil spills on the coast of the country, taking immediate responses against marine pollutants by detecting oil spills and improving law enforcement practices against them.