A large and high-tech ocean Research Vessel (RV) of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Isabu, arrived at the Port of Colombo as its first port of call on August 16, to strengthen maritime cooperation between Korea and Sri Lanka.
The vessel of about 6,000 tonnes dead weight (DWT) class, which is conducting research on the environmental systems of seafloor hydro thermal vents and associated vent ecosystems in the Central Indian Ridge, departed on August 19 to do further research in the Indian Ocean. On the first day of the visit, the research group of KIOST hosted an on board dinner for the Chairman, National Aquatic Resource Agency (NARA) Dr. Anil Premaratne, and senior researchers of NARA.
The next day, the research group was invited to the NARA to further discuss cooperative projects between the two parties.
KIOST and NARA had signed a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2016 and jointly made a Project Concept Paper to strengthen capacity building in Ocean Science.
Close cooperation between the two parties is expected to strengthen in the years to come. Apart from this, the Government of the Republic of Korea is implementing various Official Development Assistance projects in the maritime sector in cooperation with its Sri Lankan counterpart, including the project of establishing the Ocean University of Sri Lanka, which has received funds of 50 million and 2.5 million US dollars from the Korea Economic Development Cooperation Fund and the Korea International Cooperation Agency respectively.