SLPA Chairman inspects coronavirus quarantine program at Colombo Port

From left: SLPA Chief Engineer (Civil) Saman Devapriya, SLPA Harbour Master Capt. Nirmal Silva, SLPA Managing Director Capt. Athula Hewavitharana Master of MV Boudicca Nassau Capt. Mikael Degerlund, SLPA Chairman General Daya Ratnayake, SLPA Additional Managing Director D. Upali De Zoysa and SLPA Chief Manager (Communication and Public Relations) Nalin Aponso

SLPA Chairman General Daya Ratnayake in discussions with the souvenir and gift item stall owners at the Port of Colombo

Passengers at the Port of Colombo passing check-ups for quarantine

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman General Daya Ratnayake yesterday joined to inspect the special program to quarantine and improve the health facilities of the tourists to Sri Lanka arriving on board passenger vessels at the Passenger Terminal of the Port of Colombo.

This special program has been implemented under the guidance of General Daya Ratnayake. Passengers,  if found infected, or found suspected to be infected, isolated for first aid until they are transported to relevant hospitals in Colombo or suburbs. Accordingly, a special isolation cabin has also been built at the passenger terminal of the Port of Colombo. All facilitations and check-ups are conducted causing no difficulty for the passengers arriving at the port from foreign destinations. 

The quarantine program is successfully carried out under strict coordination of Ministry of Health Director (Quarantine) Dr. S.M. Arnald and assistance of Deputy Director Roshan Sampath. All passenger ships arriving at the Port of Colombo are under strict inspection. The medical reports of the passengers and the crew of the vessels are collected via the ships’ Masters for check-ups. 

‘MV  Sun Princess’ called recently,  at the Port of Colombo with 1,952 passengers and 872 crew members on board, Queen Mary 2 arrived with 2,470 passengers and 1,425 crew on board and MV Boudicca Nassau called with 583 passengers and 366 crew members on board yesterday were also inspected at the Port of Colombo under this special quarantine program.  

At the invitation of Master of MV Boudicca Nassau Capt. Mikael Degerlund, General Ratnayake and a team of higher officers of SLPA joined on board the ship for friendly discussions.

There, it was emphasised by the Chairman of SLPA that the SLPA as the landlord of the Port of Colombo   would work with all parties to meet the challenges of the Novel Coronavirus and to comply with international standards.

“There is a rapid increase in the number of passenger ships arriving at the Port of Colombo. So, it is clear that the Port of Colombo is becoming a favourite tourist destination. In comparison, the SLPA has provided them with required facilities and is planning to upgrade these facilities in the near future. In particular, we have prepared all the necessary measures to deal with the emergency at the Port of Colombo, in view of the current global health issue of Novel Coronavirus,” General Daya Ratnayake said. 

SLPA Chairman General Daya Ratnayake also inspected Sri Lankan souvenir and gift shops and outlets for foreign tourists located at the Port of Colombo. 

The shop owners said that it was the first visit of an SLPA chairman to inspect their stalls and were pleased to inquire into issues that would give a fresh entry into the Sri Lankan passenger ship industry.

SLPA Managing Director Capt. Athula Hewavitharana, SLPA Additional Managing Director D. Upali De Zoysa, SLPA Chief Engineer (Civil) Saman Devapriya, SLPA Harbour Master Capt. Nirmal Silva, SLPA Chief Manager (Communication and Public Relations) Nalin Aponso, Capt. Mikael Degerlund, a number of higher officials of SLPA and several representatives of shipping lines also joined the occasion.  

MV Boudicca Nassau at the Port of Colombo 

MV Queen Mary 2 at the Port of Colombo