Friday Sep 25, 2026
Friday Sep 25, 2026
Friday, 25 September 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka Khaled Nasser AlAmeri (left) with Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih
Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have discussed the ongoing UAE-India-Sri Lanka initiative to develop Trincomalee as a regional energy hub.
This was during a meeting between UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka Khaled Nasser AlAmeri and Parliament Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih at Parliament on Wednesday, the Parliament Secretariat said in a statement.
The three countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 5 April 2025, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Colombo. It covers refurbishment of the Trincomalee Tank Farm, bunkering (supplying fuel to ships), a possible new refinery, and a two-way petroleum pipeline between India and Sri Lanka.
Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) have been designated to form a joint venture to execute the project.
The tank farm has 99 tanks of around 12,500 metric tonnes each, of which 61 are to be renovated under the deal. The remainder are held by the CPC and Lanka IOC, IOC’s local subsidiary.
In March, Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that renovation at Trincomalee had begun using Treasury funds, citing the country’s vulnerability from inadequate fuel storage.
