Sri Lanka’s Merchant Shipping Secretariat (MSS) has launched an investigation after the captain of an Indonesian-flagged vessel alleged that he paid a USD 5,000 bribe to facilitate what sources described as a port state control inspection at the Port of Colombo.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the complaint was submitted by the captain of the vessel Sensho after the cement carrier completed its inspection and departed Colombo. The vessel reportedly arrived at the port on Friday before leaving for Jeddah after passing what sources described as a rigorous inspection process.
Sources said the captain lodged complaints with both the Merchant Shipping Secretariat and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), claiming that he had been required to make an official payment of USD 5,000 in connection with the inspection.
The Merchant Shipping Secretariat has since begun examining the complaint, according to sources, as authorities seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged payment and whether any officials were involved.
The allegations have emerged despite the government’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, with sources indicating that the complaint has raised fresh concerns over the possibility of illicit payments linked to port inspection procedures.
“The issue at hand is whether there have been unreported cases of MSS personnel receiving bribes,” sources said, adding that investigators would need to determine whether the complaint points to an isolated incident or a broader pattern.
According to the same sources, the captain did not immediately report the alleged demand for payment before leaving Colombo. Instead, he is said to have made the payment before departing the port and later filed complaints with both the Merchant Shipping Secretariat and CIABOC.
The vessel has since continued its voyage to Jeddah while the investigation remains under way.
Neither the Merchant Shipping Secretariat nor the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has publicly announced any findings, and no officials have been identified in connection with the allegations.
The complaint is now being examined by the relevant authorities as investigators seek to establish the facts surrounding the alleged payment and determine whether any further action is warranted.
