Sri Lanka has completed a five-day workshop in Colombo aimed at developing Standard Operating Procedures for responding to radiological and nuclear emergencies within the country’s territorial waters, as national maritime, regulatory and emergency-response agencies seek to strengthen their ability to deal with illicit nuclear material.
The programme concluded on 25 September 2026 and was organised in partnership with the Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence of the US Department of Energy. It brought together officials from institutions with responsibilities spanning maritime security, nuclear regulation, customs, ports, disaster management and law enforcement.
Among the participants were representatives of the Sri Lanka Navy’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Unit, the Special Boat Squadron and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard. Their involvement placed maritime operational capabilities at the centre of the workshop, alongside agencies responsible for regulating nuclear activities and managing emergencies.
The Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council and Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board also took part, together with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Sri Lanka Customs, the Disaster Management Centre, the Merchant Shipping Secretariat and the Attorney General’s Department. The participation of these institutions reflected the range of responsibilities involved in responding to a radiological or nuclear incident within territorial waters.
The workshop provided practical guidance on establishing standardised operational procedures for intercepting illicit nuclear material at sea. The procedures are intended to provide a common framework for authorities dealing with such incidents, while improving coordination between agencies that would have different responsibilities during a radiological emergency.
The initiative also focused on strengthening inter-agency coordination and improving operational efficiency among Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities. Developing procedures that can be applied consistently is intended to support cooperation between operational units, regulatory bodies and other government institutions during an emergency.
The participation of the Navy’s CBRN Unit, Special Boat Squadron and Coast Guard alongside civilian institutions was significant to the workshop’s operational focus. The programme addressed the practical requirements involved in responding to suspected illicit nuclear material within territorial waters, while also bringing regulatory, port, customs, shipping, emergency-management and legal authorities into the same process.
The workshop was conducted as a partnership with the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence, providing the participating Sri Lankan institutions with practical guidance on procedures for maritime interception and emergency response.
The programme’s stated objective was not limited to individual agency preparedness. It sought to establish standardised operational guidelines that could support coordinated action across the national maritime authorities when dealing with radiological emergencies. The participating institutions therefore covered both those likely to be directly involved in maritime operations and those responsible for nuclear regulation, port management, customs enforcement, disaster response and legal matters.
The five-day programme concluded in Colombo on 25 September, with the participating institutions having focused on procedures for intercepting illicit nuclear material and on mechanisms to improve coordination and operational efficiency during radiological and nuclear emergencies within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.
