Sri Lanka developing independent hydrographic capabilities

Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service (SLNHS) has achieved a historic milestone by producing 27 Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) covering major ports, harbour approaches and coastal waters around the country. This achievement has been made within three years of the establishment of SLNHS on 14 Dec 2023 under the Ministry of Defence.

Sri Lanka National Hydrographic Office (SLNHO) serves as the nation’s hydrographic authority, coordinating hydrographic activities, national chart production, international cooperation and maritime geospatial information management.

World Hydrography Day is celebrated annually on 21 June under the patronage of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) to raise awareness of the vital role hydrography plays in ensuring safe navigation, supporting maritime trade, protecting the marine environment and advancing the sustainable use of the world’s oceans.

Sri Lanka is set to celebrate World Hydrography Day 2026 on 23rd June at the Wave n’ Lake Navy Hall, Welisara. The national event will be held under this year’s theme announced by the IHO: “Transforming how ocean data is shared.”

The Chief Guest at the celebration will be the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd). The keynote address will be delivered by Senior Professor Nalin Ratnayake, Vice Chancellor of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka.

As part of the World Hydrography Day Programme, the SLNHO will also conduct a special two-day theoretical and practical training programme for university students on 23 and 24 June 2026.

The initiative is also designed to expose students engaged with the subject on hydrographic surveying techniques, sonar systems, positioning technology, chart production, data processing and field survey operations. Participants will receive hands-on exposure to modern hydrographic equipment and technologies currently employed in professional survey operations.The programme aims to build national awareness of hydrography and inspire the next generation of hydrographers, marine scientists and geospatial professionals who will contribute to Sri Lanka’s future maritime development.

This year’s celebration takes place at a historic moment for Sri Lanka’s maritime sector following the enactment of the National Hydrographic Act in 2024, a milestone that established a comprehensive legal framework for hydrographic governance in the country.

The Act provides a comprehensive legal framework for hydrographic governance, strengthens national coordination, supports maritime safety and security and enables Sri Lanka to fulfil its international obligations as a responsible maritime nation.

The governance of SLNHO is overseen by the National Hydrographic Council (NHC), an 18-member body representing key ministries, government agencies and maritime stakeholders.

Although Sri Lanka possesses a proud maritime heritage dating back centuries, national chart production of the country remained mostly untouched in the post-colonial period thus incurring considerable financial loss to the country.

Since its establishment, the SLNHO has spearheaded an unprecedented expansion of Sri Lanka’s hydrographic and nautical charting capabilities. Collectively, SLNHO efforts have added 115,396.81 square kilometers of new ENC coverage.

Sri Lanka’s maritime area under national jurisdiction extends over 538,162.02 square kilometres. Through the dedicated efforts of the SLNHO, ENC coverage has now expanded to 115,733.35 square kilometers, representing 21.5% of the nation’s maritime waters.

The production of 17 new ENC cells in 2026 alone represents a landmark achievement for Sri Lanka’s hydrographic programme and demonstrates the country’s growing capacity to produce internationally compliant nautical chart products independently.

This remarkable progress reflects the effectiveness of the National Hydrographic Act, the strategic guidance of the National Hydrographic Council, and the professional expertise of Sri Lanka’s hydrographers, cartographers and survey technicians.

The rapid expansion of ENC coverage strengthens navigational safety, supports maritime trade and port development, enhances national security concerns, contributes to the Blue Economy and reinforces Sri Lanka’s position as a responsible maritime nation in the Indian Ocean region.

These internationally compliant digital charts are used by mariners worldwide and play a critical role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of maritime navigation. Their production incorporates state-of-the-art technology, including multibeam echo sounding systems, advanced geospatial processing software, satellite positioning systems and modern cartographic software that comply with international hydrographic standards.

The ENC productions have also delivered significant economic benefits. Through international distribution to global chart service providers and maritime users, Sri Lankan chart products generate valuable foreign revenue.

Since its inception, the SLNHO has generated a total revenue of USD 278,645.82 through the production and distribution of ENCs.

In 2025, SLNHO generated a total of USD 88,232.41 in revenue from ENCs. Owing to the increasing number of ENC productions, SLNHO earned USD 73,397.50 during the first quarter of 2026. Based on the current trend and the anticipated increase in ENC production, it is projected that the revenue generated through ENCs will exceed USD 300,000 by the end of 2026.

This projected growth reflects the expanding ENC production capability of SLNHO and its growing contribution to sustainable revenue generation, highlighting the Office’s increasing role in supporting the development of the national hydrographic sector

Additional income is also earned through hydrographic consultancy and survey services supporting national development projects, including port expansion, coastal infrastructure development, dredging operations and marine construction projects.

All revenue generated by the SLNHO is credited directly to the Government Consolidated Fund, ensuring that the benefits of hydrographic services directly contribute to the national economy.

The success of the SLNHO is underpinned by a highly qualified workforce comprising IHO recognized Category ‘A’, Category ‘B’ hydrographers, marine cartographers and qualified survey technicians capable of conducting hydrographic surveys and chart production in accordance with IHO standards.

Sri Lanka is also an active member of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission (NIOHC), enabling the country to contribute to regional hydrographic initiatives while benefiting from international cooperation and knowledge exchange.

A significant milestone in this journey was the finalizing of an arrangement with the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the most reputed international nautical chart seller of the world, facilitating the global distribution of Sri Lankan nautical chart products and enhancing the country’s profile within the international maritime community.

These partnerships continue to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to adopt best practices, access emerging technologies and maintain internationally recognized standards in hydrographic surveying and nautical chart production.

The establishment of the SLNHO has significantly enhanced Sri Lanka’s self-reliance in hydrographic matters.

Historically, the country often depended on assistance from friendly foreign nations to conduct specialized hydrographic surveys following natural disasters such as X-press pearl incident and Tsunami occurred in 2004, maritime emergencies and major infrastructure projects. Today, supported by survey vessels indigenously made by Sri Lanka Navy, advanced hydrographic equipment, trained personnel and institutional expertise, Sri Lanka possesses the capability to undertake and manage such operations independently.

This transformation represents a major advancement in national preparedness and maritime resilience, enabling faster responses to navigational hazards, coastal disasters, environmental emergencies and maritime incidents while reducing dependence on external assistance.

As shipping, offshore energy exploration, fisheries, marine tourism, blue economy initiatives and coastal development continue to expand across the Indian Ocean region, the demand for accurate hydrographic information will become increasingly critical.

By strengthening charting capability, improving ocean-data management, embracing technological innovation and investing in human capital, Sri Lanka is positioning itself to meet these future challenges and opportunities with confidence.

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Nine left in critical condition after UK train collision that killed driver

At least nine people remain in critical condition after two passenger trains crashed into each other and killed one driver near Bedford, about 56 miles (90km) north of London.

British Transport Police said on Saturday that more than 80 people had received hospital treatment on Friday night after the trains collided.

“As of this morning, 28 remain in hospital, and nine are in a critical condition,” Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said.

She added that “specialist investigators from British Transport Police are working with colleagues at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) to gather the facts and determine what has happened”.

Moreover, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that it was “too early to speculate” on the cause of the crash, and promised that “a thorough investigation … to ensure that lessons are learnt” would be launched.

Friday’s crash involved two London-bound trains on the same track, according to East Midlands Railway (EMR), which operates both services.

On Friday, police confirmed that the driver of one of the trains had died at the scene.

In a statement from Buckingham Palace, King Charles said he was “greatly saddened” by the incident and sent “his thoughts and sympathies” to the dead driver’s family and to those injured.

The East of England Ambulance Service said on Saturday that 11 people sustained “very serious” injuries, while a further 32 suffered serious wounds and 56 others had minor injuries.

EMR’s managing director, Will Rogers, also called the crash “a profoundly sad day for the railway community”.

“We are deeply saddened that our driver has tragically died, and a number of other people have suffered injuries,” he said, speaking at the scene alongside other officials.

He added that EMR was “fully supporting” the RAIB probe.

More than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area rescue teams and six air ambulances were dispatched to the scene of Friday’s crash.

While the investigation continues, officials have not said whether signalling issues played a role in the incident.

[Aljazeera]

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Shorna, spinners eliminate Pakistan from 2026 T20 World Cup

Bangladesh left Pakistan shell-shocked with a magnificent come-from-behind win during their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 meeting in Southampton. It was Pakistan’s third defeat in as many games in the competition, and the result eliminated them from the tournament with two group-stage games remaining.

Bangladesh’s spinners made a contest out of the match despite Pakistan needing a mere 124 to win. Their middle-overs stranglehold turned what looked to be certain defeat into a memorable 23-run victory.

From 49 for 0 two balls into the eighth over, Pakistan lost 8 for 35 within the next ten overs. Nahida Akter and Sanjida Akter Meghla, whose inclusion was the sole change in Bangladesh’s line-up from their defeat to Australia, bagged three wickets each during that phase.

Earlier in the match, Bangladesh made a similar comeback with the bat with steady contributions from captain Nigar Sultana (36 off 38 balls) and Sobhana Mostary (22 off 19), and a blazing 22-ball 39 not out from Shorna Akter. Those knocks came after a brilliant opening burst from Pakistan captain Fatima Sana and Tasmia Rubab had left Bangladesh stuttering at 13 for 3 in the fifth over.

Bangladesh eventually put up 123, and victory helped them leapfrog South Africa and move to No. 3 in Group 1, although South Africa have a game in hand. Pakistan, meanwhile, continued to languish at No. 5, with Netherlands, the T20 World Cup debutants, the only team below them.

Fatima Sana celebrates after trapping Sharmin Akhter [Cricinfo]

Sultana wanted Bangladesh’s top order to make the most of the batting-friendly conditions in Southampton, but her counterpart Sana made sure that was not the case with a double-strike in her first over. Sana accounted for Dilara Akter off the second ball of the second over as the batter top-edged one to mid-on while going for a wild hack across the line.

Three balls later, Sana produced a gem. She got the ball to jag back into Sharmin Akter from good length, beat her inside edge, and thud her onto the pads right in front of the stumps. Bangladesh could not score off her first ten balls. Her opening burst (3-1-9-2) left a severe dent in Bangladesh’s innings as they managed only 23 for 3 in the first six overs.

While the first Bangladesh wicket provided an early opening for Pakistan, it must have also come as a relief for them as a chance was safely held on to rather than being shelled as had mostly been the case with them over this tournament. Nashra Sandhu, who took the catch to dismiss Dilara, was in action again when she caught Juairiya Ferdous off Rubab to leave Bangladesh reeling at 13 for 3.

But the grab that must have provided the most respite to Pakistan’s fielding coach came right after the drinks interval when Aliya Riaz, who has been under the scanner for her hapless fielding, took Ritu Moni’s catch at long-on. While there were lapses in the ground fielding as a few regulation stops burst through the hands of the fielders, Pakistan overall looked a much improved fielding side from their defeats against India and South Africa.

Shorna Akter found the boundaries at the death [Cricinfo]

When Sultana fell to Sadia Iqbal off a poor shot, Bangladesh were 92 for 6 two balls into the 18th over. But a late display of sensational shots from Shorna made sure the Bangladesh bowlers had a competitive total to work with. Shorna hit five boundaries and top-scored in the innings as Bangladesh smashed 43 runs off the last four overs. With the off-side packed, she often backed away to hit the ball over the fielders or scythe it through the gaps.

Pakistan were going smoothly at 49 for 0 in the eighth over before Gull Feroza cut Nahida’s half-tracker right into the hands of point. In Nahida’s next over, the tenth of the chase, Muneeba smashed what was another long hop to deep square leg. The two had laid the foundations astutely by seeing off Marufa Akter, who had taken two first-over wickets against Pakistan in the 2025 ODI World Cup match in Colombo.

But once the openers were dismissed, none of the Pakistan batters took responsibility. They lost six wickets from overs eight to 16. Meghla ran through Pakistan’s middle order with the wickets of Ayesha Zafar and Aliya Riaz in the 12th over, before removing Saira Jabeen for nought in her next.

It seemed Pakistan had solely pinned hopes on their captain to deliver yet another heroic innings. When Sana holed out to long-on at the start of the 18th over, Bangladesh erupted in celebration.

Scores:
Bangladesh Women 123 for 6 in 20 overs  (Nigar Sultana 36, Sobhana Mostary 22, Shorna Akter 39*; Sadia Iqbal 1-21,   Fatima Sana 2-18, Tasmia Rubab 1-40, Nashra Sandhu 1-14, Tuba Hassan 1-30) beat Pakistan Women 100 for 8 in 20 overs (Muneeba Ali 25, Gull Feroza 23, Fatima Sana 10; Nahida Akter 3-18, Sanjida Akter Meghla 3-21, Rabeya Khan 1-17, Ritu Moni 1-24) by 23 runs

[Cricinfo]

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Shasheendra and two others indicted in Colombo High Court on corruption charges

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) yesterday (19) filed indictments before the Colombo High Court against former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa and two other defendants over corruption charges.

The other defendants named in the indictment are Sepalika Saman Kumari and Keerthi Bandara Kotagama.

The indictment contains 10 charges against the accused. The prosecution has also listed 30 witnesses and 38 documents as case material.

According to the charges, the accused are alleged to have committed the offence of corruption and aided and abetted the commission of the offence by using official influence to pressure certain government officials, attached to the Office for Reparations, to obtain compensation, amounting to Rs. 8.85 million.

The allegations relate to a building and other properties unlawfully constructed on land belonging to the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka in the Sevanagala-Kiriibban Wewa area. The properties were damaged during the 2022 countrywide protests. Despite an earlier decision rejecting compensation for the properties, the accused are alleged to have influenced officials to secure compensation payments for the damages.

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Hakim wants Sallay to surrender passwords

The Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and MP Rauff Hakeem states that all relevant parties must extend their cooperation to the security forces in order to get at the truth behind the Easter attacks.

Making a special statement at a press conference held in Kandy on Wednesday (17), Hakeem said that he saw no issue with surrendering the passwords to the laptop and mobile phone of Suresh Sallay, who is currently in custody for these investigations.

Hakeem said: “When Suresh Sallay refuses to provide the passwords of his computer and phone for these investigations, it raises suspicions as to whether he is trying to conceal information contained in those devices. Everyone’s cooperation was required to bring the issue to an end. “This is a major issue for both the Catholic and Islamic communities,” he said.

“From the very beginning, I have advocated for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act or the amendment of its problematic clauses. However, the very individuals who now claim to be aggrieved were the ones who operated using that Act back then. They are now suffering because of that very Act. They brought this issue upon themselves. Therefore, I have no issue or grief regarding that. Back then, no one felt any sympathy for those held under this Act. Today, they themselves are suffering. I believe that cooperation must be extended to the security forces conducting investigations into this matter, and we must see an end to this.

There are currently various rumours spreading across the country claiming that political victimisation is taking place. A writ petition has been filed requesting not to arrest former President Gotabaya. I heard that Yoshitha Rajapaksa was arrested today. Being arrested does not necessarily mean a person is guilty; they are arrested based on suspicion. They can submit facts in their defence. We believe that the court will take the necessary action. If offences have been committed, we believe that the appropriate legal action will take place properly. Those who are innocent will be cleared of the charges.”

by S.K. Samaranayake

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Gunshots ring out at Times Square as terrified crowd flees: 'We just witnessed a shooting'

New York City's Times Square descended into chaos on Thursday afternoon as a suspected gunman allegedly opened fire in the crowded tourist destination.

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Pelwatte Dairy commissions Sri Lanka’s largest dairy effluent treatment plant to advance ESG leadership and global market readiness

Pelwatte Dairy Industries Limited has successfully commissioned its state-of-the-art Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at its Buttala manufacturing facility, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey toward environmental stewardship, ESG compliance, and responsible dairy processing.

This facility is the largest Effluent Treatment Plant within a dairy processing operation in Sri Lanka, underscoring Pelwatte Dairy’s commitment to aligning its operations with global environmental standards and strengthening its position in international markets.

Strategic Commitment to ESG and Responsible Growth

This investment reflects a deliberate and forward-looking strategy by the Board of Directors to embed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into core operations. As Pelwatte Dairy continues to scale its processing capacity and expand its export footprint, environmental compliance has become a central pillar of sustainable growth.

The ETP has been designed to meet the increasingly stringent environmental expectations of Western, European, and Far Eastern markets, where compliance with wastewater discharge standards, environmental reporting, and sustainability practices are essential for market access.

Future-Proofed Design for Scalable Growth

The facility has a base treatment capacity of 250 m³ per day, with the engineered capability to handle peak volumes of up to 325 m³, representing approximately 30% additional capacity to accommodate future growth in processing volumes. [ETP Opening | Word]

This future-ready design ensures that Pelwatte Dairy can maintain consistent environmental performance even under high production scenarios, reinforcing the company’s commitment to long-term compliance, operational resilience, and responsible expansion.

Advanced Technology Supporting Global Compliance

The ETP integrates advanced treatment technologies, including:

Integrated Dissolved Air Flotation (IDAF)

Anaerobic and Enhanced Sequential Batch Reactor (AnSBR/eSBR) systems

Dedicated CIP wastewater management

Real-time automated process monitoring

Screw press sludge dewatering

These systems ensure high treatment efficiency and compliance with critical environmental parameters such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and nutrient discharge limits.

The plant is fully aligned with Sri Lanka’s stringent Central Environmental Authority (CEA) discharge standards and supports adherence to ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) practices, reinforcing Pelwatte Dairy’s structured approach to environmental management and continuous improvement.

Regulatory Engagement and Endorsement

The inauguration ceremony was attended by distinguished representatives from the Board of Investment (BOI) Environmental Division and Central Environmental Authority (CEA) provincial and district offices, reflecting strong regulatory engagement and endorsement of the environmental standards achieved through this investment.

Their presence underscores Pelwatte Dairy’s proactive approach in working closely with regulatory authorities to ensure compliance with national environmental frameworks while aligning with global best practices.

Enhancing Global Credibility of Sri Lankan Dairy

With this development, Pelwatte Dairy strengthens its position as a responsible and globally competitive dairy processor, capable of meeting the environmental expectations of leading international buyers and regulatory bodies.

This initiative not only enhances the company’s ESG profile but also contributes to elevating the sustainability standards of Sri Lanka’s dairy industry.

Acknowledgements

Pelwatte Dairy extends its sincere appreciation to its project team, operational staff, consultants, regulatory authorities, and partners for their contributions. Special recognition is extended to Industrial Solutions Lanka (Pvt) Limited for their engineering expertise and successful project delivery.

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