Sri Lanka delays decision on UN’s F. Nansen research vessel over lack of SOPs, risking $1M in losses and marine data vital for climate and fisheries projects. Geopolitical pressures from India and China complicate the issue
Sri Lanka is yet to decide on granting access to a United Nations-flagged marine research vessel amid mounting international pressure and internal delays in establishing regulatory protocols, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed.
“We have not made a final decision. The process is ongoing,” Herath told EconomyNext when questioned about the status of the request for the UN research ship “Dr Fridtjof Nansen” (F. Nansen) to enter Sri Lankan waters for a month-long marine ecosystem study.
Despite repeated appeals by the UN and formal discussions with the Sri Lankan government, the vessel remains anchored in Mauritius, awaiting clearance. According to sources, Sri Lankan scientists are scheduled to board the ship before it departs for Colombo to carry out marine research between July 15 and August 20, under a 2023 request made by the former administration.
Once its mission in Sri Lanka concludes, the vessel is set to continue to Bangladesh. Bangladeshi scientists are also expected to embark via Colombo Port an option reportedly approved by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry. However, the Ministry has yet to greenlight the actual marine research within Sri Lankan waters.
A Foreign Ministry official stated that no such activities could be permitted until new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for foreign research vessels are established. A special committee has been appointed to develop these SOPs, and their first meeting is expected soon.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is coordinating the F. Nansen’s deployment, has warned that a delay or cancellation would cost Sri Lanka more than $1 million in lost support and damage future marine programming, including Green Climate Fund initiatives dependent on data from this mission. The next opportunity to host the F. Nansen may not arise until after 2030.
In a statement, the UN emphasized the strategic importance of the vessel, noting that it is equipped to provide critical data for sustainable marine ecosystem and fisheries management essential to Sri Lanka’s economic planning and climate resilience.
The current dilemma stems from Sri Lanka’s one-year moratorium on foreign research vessels, which expired in December 2023. That moratorium was imposed by the former government under pressure from India and the United States following visits by two Chinese research vessels over a 14-month period. India and the U.S. have consistently expressed concerns over China’s maritime activities in the Indian Ocean region.
In January 2024, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Cabinet appointed a new committee to review the outdated SOP and design a framework to evaluate all future foreign research vessel visits. The delay in implementing this framework has left vessels like the F. Nansen in limbo.
Adding to the complexity is the ongoing geopolitical tightrope Sri Lanka is walking between India and China. While Sri Lanka and China are reportedly preparing to sign a maritime cooperation MoU, India remains wary of Chinese naval and research activities in the region.
Sri Lanka has also signed a Defense Cooperation MoU with India in April, agreeing to exchange maritime information, though without offering clarity on research vessel oversight.
Foreign Minister Herath reiterated in January that Sri Lanka does not require Indian approval or prior consultation to approve foreign vessels in its waters, even though some previous governments had adopted such a practice to maintain cordial relations with India.
As international funding and vital marine research hang in the balance, Sri Lanka’s final decision will likely influence not just scientific progress but regional diplomacy and economic partnerships as well.
