The Cabinet has approved a new National Plan and digital platform to respond to oil spills and hazardous chemical spills in Sri Lankan waters.The Government said the move was necessary due to the increasing number of ships operating near Sri Lanka, the expansion of ports, growing oil-related activities and the impact of climate change. More than 400 ships pass through the East-West shipping route near Sri Lanka each day, while over 5,000 vessels call at local ports every year.

The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) has updated the existing National Oil Spill Response Plan to also cover hazardous and noxious substance spills.The first phase of a digital platform to support the implementation of the plan has also been developed.The proposal, submitted by the Environment Minister, was approved by the Cabinet to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to respond to marine pollution incidents and protect the marine environment.