ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Regional Centre for Maritime Studies, established at the Kothelawala Defence University with support from France has trained 300 officials, and is expanding to include trainees from other Asian neighbors.
“Over the past year, RCMS has grown into a vibrant hub of learning, dialogue, and innovation,” Director Captain Chamila Mendis of the Sri Lanka Navy said in an activity report.
“Through conferences, workshops, and collaborative initiatives, we have sought to strengthen maritime knowledge, foster institutional partnerships, and create a platform where ideas can flourish.”
The RCMS was inaugurated in December 2024 to strengthen the capacities of civil and military administrations involved in maritime safety, security and marine environmental protection.
The RCMS reflected the spirit of regional cooperation between Sri Lanka and France and aimed to strengthen security and stability in the maritime domain, the report quoted Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary of the Ministry of Defense as saying at a high level address.
The Centre was a strategic platform to enhance inter-ministerial and inter-agency coordination, bridge institutional and operational gaps across the Indian Ocean region, and promote
harmonised operational procedures based on international best practices, he had said.
At the inauguration of the RCMC, the then Secretary General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Anne-Marie Descotes said maritime safety and security was vital for regional stability and economic well-being.
There was a need for collaborative approaches and standardized operational procedures involving neighbouring States and international partners.
In early 2025, RCMS consultations were conducted with Sri Lankan stakeholders to design training programs, identify priority capacity gaps and preferred training gaps.
“Consultations highlighted the need for practice oriented courses addressing operational skills in maritime safety, security and environmental protection, as well as interest in contributing expertise to training delivery,” the RCMS said.
“They also underlined the importance of aligning RCMS activities with existing institutional mandates and regional priorities.
In parallel, preliminary analytical work was initiated to identify training needs in other countries of the region, including the Maldives and Bangladesh, as part of the Centre’s gradual regional outreach.
In 2025, 13 training programs were conducted, and 3 conferences were organized.
A course on addressed oil spill response both at sea and along the shoreline, with on field-based demonstrations for the Sri Lanka Navy, Ports Authority and the MEPA.
Participants were introduced to response equipment and techniques through practical presentations of materials and live demonstrations of their deployment and use in different operational contexts.
In a program on crisis management structures and intervention teams during maritime emergencies participants worked on coordination mechanisms, decision-making processes and communication under crisis conditions.
A course on targeting and analysis of shipping containers combined analytical approaches for identifying high-risk shipments, information sharing between services, and the use of intelligence tools in port environments, with field-based sessions at the port with French Customs and Sri Lanka Navy, Ports Authority, Coast guard and Customs officials.
A course on Port Safety and Dangerous Goods Management, addressed the management of dangerous goods in port environments, with a focus on safety procedures, regulatory frameworks and risk prevention.
Officials from port authorities in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia were in the program.
Other programs included building maritime domain awareness, learning to counter smuggling of radiological and nuclear material backed by UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme which also brought in justice and law-enforcement officials.
“The programme combined prosecutor mentoring with a simulated trial, bringing together judges, prosecutors and law-enforcement officers,” the activity report said.
“Through role-play exercises, participants worked on case preparation, evidentiary analysis and courtroom practice, strengthening inter-agency coordination and legal capacities to handle complex maritime trafficking cases.”
(Colombo/May03/2026)