Safety of SL ports at stake if Red Sea trade routes are not protected – President

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Colombo and other Sri Lankan ports will be under serious threat if merchant cargo vessels coming to Sri Lanka through the Red Sea trade routes are not protected.

The President expressed these views when several Ministers, including Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando,  met with him yesterday (08) morning. President Wickremesinghe also highlighted that this is the first time that ships are being sent from Sri Lanka to protect international waters after the reign of King Parakramabahu the Great.

The President also pointed out that if the operation is withdrawn by looking into the cost factor of deploying ships for the security of the Red Sea, the country will have to bear a huge loss due to the non-arrival of merchant ships.

President Wickremesinghe also stated that Sri Lankan warships are sent to the Red Sea to provide security for cargo ships travelling along the merchant trade routes and not to support wars between any states.

The President said that other countries in the region have already come forward to provide security for merchant ships coming to their countries.

President Wickremesinghe pointed out that due to the Houthi rebel fighters’ possible attacks, many ships are bypassing the Red Sea and using other routes and as a result, the shipping charges have been increased. Since a ship has to go to countries like South Africa to arrive at the Colombo Port, there is a possibility of the price of essential food items imported into Sri Lanka increasing.

The President also said that Sri Lanka, which was waiting for a fuel ship a year and a half ago, is now in the position of sending ships to protect international waters.

He further said that Sri Lanka has agreed to send a ship of the Sri Lanka Navy to the Red Sea to support its security against Houthi rebels.

Last week, President Wickremesinghe announced that Sri Lanka has decided to deploy a Navy vessel on the Red Sea to prevent the Yemen-based Houthi rebels from attacking ships, blocking trade along the sea route. Addressing an event in Colombo on January 3, the President said Sri Lanka will deploy the Navy vessel at the Red Sea for a cost of Rs. 250 million every fortnight.

The Yemen-based Houthi militants have carried out at least 23 attacks in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since December 19, according to foreign media.

The Bab al-Mandab strait is a critical waterway through which almost 15 percent of global trade passes. If attacks continue, the fear is that fuel prices will increase and supply chains will be disrupted.

The Iranian-backed Houthi militant rebels have vowed to continue targeting vessels they consider linked to Israel and the situation in the strategically vital southern Red Sea merchant vessel trade route is presently at a stand-off.

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