Sri Lanka asks China-bound ship to leave Hambantota port after uranium found on it indiatoday.in - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatoday.in Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Sri Lanka asks China-bound ship to leave Hambantota port after uranium found on it
The SLAEA said the vessel had failed to disclose its radioactive cargo when it docked in at the port.
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COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has asked a China-bound cargo ship to leave the strategic southern port of Hambantota after it was found to be carrying radioactive uranium without declaring it to authorities, officials said on Wednesday.
Anil Ranjith, the top official of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority (SLAEA), said that the ship was on its way to China from the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands when it developed technical difficulties and entered the Hambantota Port.
M.V. BBC Naples sailing under the flag of “Antigua & Barbados” entered the port of Hambantota on 20th April at 2100 hrs, while en route from Rotterdam to China. The ship made an emergency call at the port for some urgent repairs. Agents for the vessel in Sri Lanka, Ms. Barwil Meridian Navigation, had not declared to the port authorities that there was dangerous cargo on board prior to the vessel entering the port.
“It was later found that they were carrying a cargo of Uranium Hexafluoride via investigations made by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Port Authority. The vessel was required to leave the port no sooner the facts were verified,” the Hambantota International Port Group said in a statement.
No cargo unloaded by ship carrying Uranium to China; HIPG newsfirst.lk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newsfirst.lk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Colombo (News 1st); Sri Lanka is to take legal action against the local agent of M.V. BBC Naples which was carrying Uranium Hexafluoride and docked at the Hambantota Harbour.
“Legal action will be taken against Wilhelmsen Meridian Navigation Ltd, the local agent for M.V. BBC Naples for violating the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Act, No. 40 OF 2014,” said the State Ministry of Solar Power, Wind & Hydro Power Generation Projects Development.
The statement added that following an inspection by the Harbour Master 05 containers with radioactive material were discovered aboard the M.V. BBC Naples sailing under the flag of “Antigua & Barbados” and owned by Germany.