More than 40 Sri Lankan officials participated in a US-supported programme designed to strengthen the country's ability to identify suspicious maritime activity and possible sanctions-evasion practices.

The three-day programme was conducted in Colombo from September 9 to 11 by the US Embassy through the US Department of State's Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction in partnership with the Atlantic Council.

Participants came from institutions including the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council, Central Bank, Coast Guard, Merchant Shipping Secretariat, Ports Authority, Ministry of Defence and Sri Lanka Navy.

Detecting deceptive shipping practices

The programme covered techniques for identifying suspicious vessels and potentially deceptive shipping practices.

Topics included:

  • manipulation of vessel identification and tracking information;
  • opaque ownership structures;
  • ship-to-ship transfers;
  • falsified documentation;
  • sanctions and proliferation risks; and
  • inter-agency coordination.

Training does not create a new sanctions regime

The programme was a capacity-building exercise.

It does not itself establish a new Sri Lankan sanctions regime or announce new enforcement powers.

Nor should the programme be interpreted as an accusation against any particular vessel operating in or around Sri Lankan waters unless a specific enforcement action is separately confirmed.

The event occurred earlier in September and was publicised later; both dates should remain clear.