Sea bottom research off limits for Shi Yang 6

• Foreign Ministry approves ship to be docked till Oct 28 for replenishment only  
• NARA ready for ocean’s weather impact   

By Kelum Bandara   

The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) which awaits collaborative research with the Chinese vessel ‘Shi Yang 6’ subject to approval by the Foreign Ministry said it had agreed for air-sea interaction survey with a focus on the water column of the Indian Ocean but not on the sea bottom given security sensitivity involved, a scientist said.   
Principal scientist of NARA K. Arulananthan told Daily Mirror such research on water columns is to understand how heating and cooling in the sea impact weather. He said it will help forecast impending droughts and rainy periods at least one month in advance.    

“Then, it will be good for our agriculture sector. Farmers can know what is in store for them in terms of weather. The Indian Ocean is the least researched ocean in the world. We are collaborative research. It means our scientists will be aboard the vessel. We are not allowing anyone to gather data and go. We will keep data findings,” he said.   
However, he said there is a ‘firm no’ to any research activity on the sea bottom.   

“For example, such data is gathered to find minerals and gas deposits. There is security sensitivity involved in this case. We have not agreed to it,” he said.   
However, the Foreign Ministry said approval had been granted only for the vessel to be docked in Colombo Port till October 28 for replenishment but not for any research.   
The Ministry did not elaborate any further in this regard. It is not yet clear whether the ship will undertake any research afterwards.   

• The Indian Ocean is the least researched ocean in the world 
• It is not yet clear whether the ship will undertake any research afterwards