News
Mid sea oil discharge facility averts fuel crisis
“Otherwise it would have sunk like a stricken ship’
by Suresh Perera
Sri Lanka has averted a major fuel crisis by overhauling the Single Point Buoy Mooring (SPBM), which was virtually crumbling as it had not been refurbished since being installed in 2010.
It would have spelled disaster if this offshore facility had collapsed as it’s the key link that handles the transfer of liquid cargo from oil tankers to the Muthurajawala oil tank farm, which meets 60% of the country’s demand for petrol, diesel and jet fuel, a senior official said.
The grueling overhaul, described as a “remarkable feat” by Sri Lankan engineers and technical officers, was completed without any costly foreign expertise, which translated into a substantial additional foreign exchange saving for the country, he stressed.
Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal Limited (CPSTL) engineers and technical experts handled the complicated dismantling and re-installation of the SPBM, while Colombo Dockyard undertook the refurbishing.
The SPBM was originally imported from the US at a cost of US$ 10 million and installed in 2010. Though the offshore facility has to be serviced every five years due to exposure to salty sea water, it was not done in 2015 due to the apathy of a senior official during the previous government, he asserted.
A SPBM is difficult to procure in a hurry despite its enormous cost as it takes one year to be fabricated and delivered, he explained.
Engineers who earlier inspected the offshore facility found it in a virtual state of collapse with the 39 anodes, each weighing 75 kilos, dissolved and the iron fittings heavily corroded, the senior official said.
“If we had not got down to the overhaul job, it would have sunk like a stricken ship within six months”, he remarked.
He said that if the offshore buoy had crashed, Sri Lanka would have been able to stock only half of the country’s fuel requirements as it takes four to five days to unload an oil tanker for storage at the Kolonnawa terminal.
Though the overhaul was estimated to cost Rs. 500 million, the job was completed by local engineering experts for Rs. 425 million despite the spike in the US dollar, he noted.
If not for the callous indifference of a “square peg in a round hole” overseeing operations in 2015, the damage to the facility would not have been so extensive as what should have been attended to in five years was neglected and allowed to drag on for a decade, the official opined.
He said that it was due to the intervention of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila and CPSTL Chairman M. Uvais Mohamed that the country was able to prevent a grave fuel crisis.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
