CFHC introduces vessel monitoring system

Harshini Perera

The Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC) will introduce a vessel monitoring system for vessel owners in Sri Lanka to monitor the movement of vessels.

This is the first time such a movement system has been introduced to Sri Lanka, said Chairman, CFHC, Asanga Abeyagoonasekera.

The vessel monitoring system will be implemented in Sri Lanka’s sea boundary in September. We have already finished its trail session. The project is implemented by the CFHC together with the Tharunyata Hetak program and is operated by a satellite system called Inmarsat, he said.

The new system has been already installed in foreign vessels and it will enable Sri Lanka to identify the movement of these vessels. It is also beneficial for local vessel owners to communicate in an emergency by pressing an emergency button in the device installed in the vessel and can inform the authority of any displacement.

He said that vessel owners could install the device in their vessels for national security since many of the vessels usually get lost in exclusive economic zones.

Many countries in the European Union and Malaysia use this technology. The users of this technology are given the satellite subscription free while they have to pay the technology usage charges. Therefore, the new system will give the vessel owners’ legitimacy in the fishing grounds around Sri Lanka, he said.

He said that since Sri Lanka exports many Tunas to Europe and Japan, Sri Lanka should adhere to the international rules by implementing this technology. Two-thirds of the coastal belt contributes to the fish harvest in Sri Lanka and there is a significant growth in production. After the peaceful conditions in the North and East fish production increased from 250,000 metric tons to 275 000 metric tons.

The Government has implemented the project called Thotupola Aruna in which many subsidiary projects will be carried out. They include the rehabilitation of fisheries harbours, construction of new harbours, reconstruction of the harbours in the North and East, conducting the whale watching programs, bringing in new technologies and introducing dredging units for dredging.

The tusnami affected Hambantota, Ambalangoda, Chilaw, Negombo and Dodanduwa harbours have been reconstructed with funds from China, USA and Japan.

The largest man-made fishing harbour at Dikowita in Wattala is under construction. This project is implemented with a Dutch loan of Euros 18 million. The total cost of this project will be Euros 50 million.