Ship carrying Uranium leaves Sri Lankan waters

Colombo (News 1st); The MV BBC Naples, a ship that was carrying Uranium Hexafluoride and docked at the Hambantota Harbour, has left Sri Lankan territorial waters.

Director-General of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council Anil Ranjith speaking to News 1st said the technical issue aboard the vessel was rectified and it thereafter left Sri Lankan waters. 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, had not declared to the port authorities that there was dangerous cargo on board prior to the vessel entering the port,” said the Hambantota International Port Group Pvt Ltd on Wednesday (21). “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,” said the HIPG representative. The Sri Lanka Navy and Customs ensured that there wasn’t any cargo unloaded by M.V. BBC Naple carrying Uranium Hexafluoride onto the Hambantota International Port premises, said the Hambantota International Port Group Pvt Ltd.