A total of 47 commercial and cargo vessels have been identified anchored in international waters close to Sri Lanka’s maritime boundary amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran, Minister Vijitha Herath said.
Speaking at the Cabinet decisions press briefing today (September 8), Herath said the vessels are positioned beyond the 24-nautical-mile limit, outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.
The Minister clarified that only a few of the vessels are Iranian-owned, while the majority are regular commercial and cargo ships.
He said none of the vessels have requested assistance from Sri Lanka, and the government has not provided any facilities or services to them.
Herath also noted that it is common for commercial vessels to remain anchored in international waters near countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia while awaiting transit or during operational pauses.
The Sri Lanka Navy is closely monitoring the vessels, while the government has stressed that it has not intervened in their activities and is operating strictly in accordance with international maritime law.
