SLNS ‘Shakthi’ and INS ‘Shakti’ set sail to SL with medical grade oxygen

August 20, 2021 at 9:34 AM

Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) Shakthi has set sail from the Port of Chennai in India with the much-required shipment of medical-grade oxygen for the treatment of Covid patients at home.

The Sri Lanka Navy said the Sri Lankan vessel departed the Trincomalee harbour on Tuesday (17), arriving at the Port of Chennai, India on Wednesday evening (18), and set sail back to Sri Lanka this morning.

Meanwhile, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Shakti, a Fleet Tanker, too left the Visakhapatnam Port in India for Sri Lanka with freight of medical grade oxygen last evening (19). 

The Sri Lanka Navy said SLNS Shakthi and INS Shakti are scheduled to arrive in Colombo on Sunday (22) and Monday (23), transporting oxygen ordered from the Indian Government through the Navy.

The Indian Navy has generously dispatched its naval ship ‘Shakti’ with freight of oxygen, signifying the longstanding cooperation between the navies of both countries, it added.

Earlier, the Indian High Commission in Colombo announced that India has commenced the process to dispatch much-required stocks of Oxygen for the treatment of Covid patients in Sri Lanka. 

Providing an update on the current status of the procedure, the High Commission said officials have commenced loading 40 tons of Liquid Medical Oxygen onto SLNS Shakthi in Chennai. (NewsWire)