Cabinet Memorandum

Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources development

Cabinet Memorandum No:

Purchasing a Multi Beam Echo Sounder to carry out hydrographic surveys for the purpose of
mapping the ocean bed which falls within the jurisdiction of Sri Lanka.

Background

The process of making Nautical Charts is one of the ways which generates income in the Naval
Field. Developed countries and even South Asian Countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh are
active partners in making Nautical Charts required for the respective country. The United
Kingdom has been drawing Nautical Charts for Sri Lanka from the Colonial Era. The Nautical
Charts thus made are owned by them and income derived from such charts fall into their
accounts. For this reason, a large amount of Rs. Billion due to Sri Lanka has been drawn to
another country usually.

Owing to the enviable geographical location of Sri Lanka, around 36,000 cargo ships sail
annually on the shipping route of Sri Lanka. It is advisable for each of these ships to carry
printed and electronic nautical charts of maritime jurisdiction of Sri Lanka. Even though the
respective country should be responsible for making their own charts, our country has assigned
this task to the Hydrographic Office of United Kingdom due to the lack of facilities available in
our country.

The data associated with our national maritime jurisdiction are more than 100 years old and
outdated. Even future development plans have to be designed using these data. Therefore time
has come to carry out hydrographic surveys of a huge maritime area having updated
hydrographic data and expedited the process of making nautical charts of our own. Despite the
fact that the equipment used by the Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service is not so modern and
efficient, they are equipped with well-trained human resources attached to the Hydrographic
Office of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency. Therefore, all the
data required for nautical charts can be generated within two years having expedited the
hydrographic survey through the purchase of Multi Beam Echo Sounder. And also this will
generate huge income inflows to this country. With the use of these data, living and non-living
resources having economic value can be identified. This paves the way to map enormous
resources covered with water for the development of the country.

3 types of data can be generated at once when Multi Beam Echo Sounder is used for
Hydrographic Surveys.

a. Depth
b. Image
 c. Backscatter Data

The depth of the seafloor can be measured with a Traditional Echo Sounder which is generally
used to measure the depth of the seafloor. But Multi Beam Echo Sounder allows to measure
depth of a large swath of area at once making it 100 times more efficient than the Traditional
Echo Sounder. Multi Beam Echo Sounder helps obtaining measurements instantly without
spending days. In addition, the Side Scan placed inside the Multi Beam Echo Sounder creates
images of the seabed and adds them to the database. From this the texture type of the seabed can
be understood as it is. If different equipment is used for this purpose, such equipment has to be
carried by a voyage costing a huge amount. Since such equipment is not available in Sri Lanka
we are required to obtain them on rental basis as per the requirement. The seabed can be
classified upon Backscatter Data and this classification is concerned with accurate data. E.g.
sand, mud or cobble. If a need for classification arises, it will be accomplished having occupied a
diver and examined the seafloor. But this is not acceptable in terms of the technology. The
maximum depth a diver can go is about 60 m. Also diver can see only a short distance in the
water. Furthermore, divers cannot be deployed during risky situations.

Multi Beam Echo Sounder saves much time as it fuses functions of 3 equipment with greater
accuracy. Foreign establishments can access large volume of hydrographic data of Sri Lanka as
they perform our hydrographic surveys and the data thus obtained may be manipulated for some
other reasons as well. This challenges the national economy and as well as the security. Further,
if cargo ships which are sailing on the shipping lanes around Sri Lanka sink, examination of such
place by deploying divers is very risky. And this kind of situation can be managed with the help
of this equipment to avoid dangers and obtain accurate information followed by basic
observations for disaster management due to oil and chemical spills at the sea.

This country can reserve a comprehensive database if modern technological equipment is utilized
for the purpose of hydrographic surveying and selling such data to investors, researchers and
scientists will arise a good income for this country. Sri Lanka has an economic zone which is 8
times the size of the country. The Article 56 of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
has provided sovereign rights to a nation for the purpose of exploring and exploiting the natural
resources whether living or non-living, of its marine waters. Also the proposal, to expand the
marine jurisdiction of Sri Lanka by 24 times the size of the country has been forwarded to the
United Nations and this is being discussed at the moment.

It is the responsibility of Sri Lanka that adopts International Maritime Security to ensure
fulfilment of basic needs for safe sailing for Naval Community within the national jurisdiction
limits of Sri Lanka. Further, Sri Lanka is a state responsible for a search and rescue area which is
larger than 27 times the size of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. Therefore, it is essential to
manage the sea areas surrounding the country and for this, prime attention should be focused on
surveying and mapping the sea.
Proposal

The National Hydrographic Office is the only institution established for drafting nautical charts
at the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency. The National
Hydrographic office was established in 1982 and hydrographic surveys were able to cover only
less than 2% of the ocean area which falls within the jurisdiction of Sri Lanka. Therefore through
an agreement entered between Sri Lanka Navy and NARA on 21st of June 2016 a Naval
Hydrographic Office was established at the National Aquatic Resources Research and
Development Agency and marked the impressive commencement of drafting nautical charts. It
was in need to accomplish this process expeditiously and along with state of the art equipment
and technology. Hence, Sri Lanka can save an approximate amount of Rs. 4 billion annually and
in turn long term enormous benefits can be enjoyed.

It is required to complete surveys in the shallow sea (less than 200 m) fallen within the
jurisdiction of Sri Lanka within two years by speeding up the studying process of maps and other
mineral resources and data of the deep sea required for the country along with the accelerated
surveying process having bought Multi Beam Echo Sounder which values around Rs. 50 Million.
The required technical specifications are attached herewith.

The following proposal is put forward while considering the above facts.

To purchase Multi Beam Echo Sounder for the purpose of, hydrographic surveying in the sea
area surrounding Sri Lanka and obtaining other hydrographic data to be accomplished within two
years for the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency.

Approval Sought for,

Therefore, the kind approval of the Cabinet of Ministers is sought to,

purchase the aforesaid Multi Beam Echo Sounder which values Rs. 50 million for the National
Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency.

Mahinda Amaraweera (M.P)

Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development