COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Ports and Shipping Ministry has set up an office of the Merchant Shipping Secretariat in northern Jaffna where passenger ferry transport between islands off the peninsula are to be developed.
The ministry statement said the unit of Merchant Shipping Secretariat, which regulates shipping, is required to ensure the seaworthiness of vessels used for passenger transport and safety.
“The sub-office is required to regulate coastal shipping off Jaffna and passenger safety,” it said. “This is the first time a sub-office of the Merchant Shipping Secretariat has been set up.”
Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga has allocated Rs50 million to build jetties and modernise vessels used for passenger transport in Jaffna, it said.
