British ship HMS Spey arrives in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO – The Royal Navy’s HMS Spey, a 90.5m long Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) manned by a crew of 56, arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit on Sunday (28).
The ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy, and its Commanding Officer Paul Caddy is scheduled to call on the Commander of Western Naval Area and the Director of General Operations. The ship’s crew will visit some of the tourist attractions of the country, during their stay in Colombo.
A statement by the Navy said, the ship will conduct a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with a Sri Lanka Navy ship in Colombo seas, and depart the island on January 31.
According to the Royal Navy’s website, the HMS Spey represents “the UK’s commitment to persistent presence in the Indo Pacific, and is currently operating in South East Asia and the Indian Ocean supporting regional partners with anti-smuggling, fishery protection, border patrol and counter-terrorism operations.”
President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government has temporarily halted foreign research ships from using the Colombo port after strong security concerns raised by neighbour India and the United States over the visit of two Chinese research vessels.
Various vessels from several countries have called at the Colombo Port in the recent past.
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