The arrived Chinese ship carrying the organic fertilizer containing the pathogenic microorganisms, has anchored outside the Colombo port without access to the port, despite the rejections made by Sri Lanka.
The cargo ship Hippo Spirit left the Port of Qingdao, China on the 23rd of last month with a plan to reach the Port of Colombo on the 6th of October with 15000-20000 metric tons of organic manure containing pathogenic bacteria.
However, when the fertilizer samples were found to contain pathogenic bacteria, the fertilizer consignment was rejected and the ship, which had already started sailing, changed its destination to Singapore. The ship entered the port of Singapore on the 2nd.
The ship had not been updated to the AIS database, which tracks ships after anchorage in the Port of Singapore. Its route had not been shown since the 15th.
The fertilizer was contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and was initially rejected by the Agriculture Authorites in Sri lanka. Following these steps the agitated Chinese Ambassador in Colombo had sent a warning tone to the Ministry of Agriculture. Meanwhile, the ship had arrived at the Port of Colombo by force when it was informed that the stock of fertilizer had been rejected and it was unnecessary.
A lady Director of Qingdao Sewing Biotech Group, China, wrote a letter to the Director General of Agriculture and several other officials yesterday (22) informing them that the ship carrying the fertilizer, which left China on September 23, would arrive at the Port of Colombo on October 22. Until that letter, neither the Director General of Agriculture nor any other responsible official in the field had been officially informed of the arrival of the fertilizer ship.
Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group
When Sri Lanka is rejected as a country, the Chinese Fertilizer Company, which sends this consignment of fertilizer to Colombo, informs the Director General of Agriculture in Sri Lanka that the research in the Quarantine Laboratory in Sri Lanka is of poor quality.
In this situation, the Director General of Agriculture, Dr. Ajantha Silva, has written to the Harbor Master not to allow entry to the port, including the ship carrying the fertilizer.
The Government of Sri Lanka has not decided to import this consignment of fertilizer to Sri Lanka and the company has never been informed to bring this consignment of fertilizer. The Director General of Agriculture has informed the Harbor Master that it has not been sent at any time.
Therefore, the Director General of Agriculture has requested that no goods of this ship be allowed to enter the port or enter the port for any reason.
He has also sent a copy of the letter to the Chinese Fertilizer Company.
