The Sri Lankan Government is closely monitoring several Iranian-flagged vessels anchored near the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Ministry Media Director-General Thushara Rodrigo said authorities were keeping a close watch on the vessels. However, he noted that the ships are outside Sri Lanka’s sovereign territorial waters, and the Government is therefore not responsible for them or providing port facilities or other assistance.
According to maritime tracking service TankerTrackers, nearly 20 Iranian fuel tankers, including around 13 Iranian-flagged vessels, are currently gathered off Sri Lanka’s coast. Several others have reportedly been identified as part of a so-called “shadow fleet” used to evade international sanctions.
The vessels are reportedly empty and have been unable to return to Iranian ports amid an ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The presence of the tankers has raised concerns over possible security risks, particularly following the sinking of the Irish-flagged Dena vessel about 19 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s coast in March.
Maritime trackers have noted that international maritime law prohibits attacks on vessels within the territorial waters of a neutral country, which extend up to 12 nautical miles from its coastline.
