Colombo, 17 December – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) convened a project checkpoint consultation for the Sri Lanka Vessel Monitoring System (SLVMS) Project. This milestone event brought together key stakeholders from the maritime border management sector to mutually reflect on the project’s impact on Sri Lanka’s Maritime Domain Awareness, maritime safety and security, and mutually explore avenues for further improvements and collaborations.  

The consultation was attended by Major General Ruwan Kulatunga (Rtd.), Chief of National Intelligence (CNI), Ms. Lalita Kapur, a/g Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and Mr. Susantha Kahawatte, Director General, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR), along with representatives from the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka Border Risk Assessment Centre (BRAC) and the Australian Border Force..

Major General Ruwan Kulatunga explained that “the VMS enables all maritime security threats to be tracked, allowing Sri Lanka to secure its maritime border.”  He stressed that the next phase of intervention would be further development and collaboration with other government agencies  to allow information sharing more effectively.

Ms. Lalita Kapur commended the project’s significant achievements, stating, “We are pleased to witness the successes of the Sri Lanka Vessel Monitoring System Project, implemented by IOM in coordination with the DFAR. The VMS has significantly improved the safety of Sri Lanka’s multi-day fishing vessels and their crew and has strengthened maritime border security against transnational maritime threats.”

The VMS has been instrumental in empowering Sri Lankan authorities to conduct timely search and rescue (SAR) operations, saving lives of fisherfolk in distress. During the event, officials from the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard shared case studies of successful SAR missions facilitated by the VMS and proposed technological enhancements to further advance its capabilities. Beyond improving maritime safety, the VMS has bolstered Sri Lanka's economic position by ensuring compliance with global regulatory standards, thereby granting greater access to international markets for the nation’s sea-derived harvests.

Mr. Susantha Kahawatte, noted, “The SLVMS Project highlights Sri Lanka’s commitment to modernizing its fisheries sector and aligns with global efforts in pursuit of achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.”

“As an initiative that champions collaboration between governments, intra-governmental institutions, international organizations, fisheries communities, and the private sector, let us continue to foster and leverage these partnerships to work together to protect our people and resources, ensuring prosperity for future generations,” he further added.

The SLVMS project commenced in 2021 with generous funding support from the Australian Government with the broader objective of strengthening Sri Lanka’s maritime border management framework. The project facilitated introduction of VMS technology to Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector, improved necessary administrative, legal, and technical capacities of government stakeholders to effectively regulate over 4500 multi-day fishing vessels registered in Sri Lanka, and has empowered fisheries communities to utilize the VMS technology as a distress beacon during maritime emergencies.

The SLVMS project represents a critical step in enhancing maritime border governance of Sri Lanka, fostering safe, secure and sustainable maritime spaces.

***

For more information, please contact:
Tharindu Jayawardhane, National Programme Officer, E-mail: tjayawardhane@iom.int

Asel Kularatne, Communications Officer, E-mail: akularatne@iom.int