A high-level industrial delegation from the State of Oman held a special meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources at the Ministry premises this morning (14).

The Secretary to the Ministry, Dr. B. K. Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, received the delegation on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean  Resources, Mr. Ramalingam Chandrasekar. He outlined the wide range of opportunities available for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Government-to-Government (G2G) partnerships, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in the fisheries sector. He further emphasized that the Ministry is open to collaboration in technology transfer and knowledge sharing.

Following the discussions held this morning, the Omani delegation is currently undertaking a series of field visits to assess investment potential across key areas in the country. The main focus areas of these visits are as follows:

Shipbuilding and Repair:
Inspection of vessel repair operations at dockyards and cold storage development facilities managed under Ceylon  Fisheries Corporation (CFC) and the Fisheries Harbours Corporation (CFHC).

Ceynor Dockyard:
Review of high-quality vessels built for Mauritius by Ceynor, along with discussions on potential joint cooperation in the construction of steel, aluminum, and HDPE vessels, as well as floating housing projects.

Net Production:
Exploration of investment opportunities in the manufacture of high-quality fishing nets through Northsea Ltd in Lunuwila.

Shrimp Farming:
Discussions on market  exchanges within the existing shrimp farming industry in Sri Lanka, including potentiality in the supply of shrimp post-larvae.

Fish Processing:
Inspection of an EU-approved fish processing facility, with special attention to opportunities for developing fish processing and canning industries in collaboration with Omani partners.

The particular attention of the delegation has also fallen upon the potential joint ventures, including modern vessels manufactured by the Cey-Nor  Institute, as well as floating housing projects, net manufacturing, and fish canning industries. The Secretary expressed confidence that this visit will further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fisheries sector between the two countries.