Oil spill drill at H’tota port

The Hambantota International Port (HIP) together with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and the Navy conducted an oil spill drill recently to enhance their emergency preparedness.

HIP Group quoted CEO, HIP Johnson Liu has in a media statement said that while all health and safety measures were in place to prevent accidents, they were also prepared for the unexpected. “Therefore, drills of this nature are mandatory in our standard operational procedure.

“This kind of drill provides valuable training opportunities for our teams involved in oil spill response. It includes training on the use of specialised equipment, implementing response procedures, and understanding their roles and responsibilities in the event of an actual spill.

The drill gave us an opportunity to test and verify the functionality of our response equipment such as booms, skimmers, etc. Regular testing helps ensure the equipment is operational and ready for deployment, and although all our preventive measures are in place, this would mitigate any impact on the environment and communities if a spill does occur,” Capt. Ravi Jayawickrema, CEO of Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS) has said.