The first phase of the program for providing free petroleum to the owners of petroleum vessels, which was offered by the Republic of China as a grant for the benefit of the fishing community of Sri Lanka, took place on 23/05/2023 at the Panadura Fishery Harbour under the patronage of the Minister of Fisheries, Mr. Douglas Devananda, State Minister of Fisheries, Mr. Piyal Nishantha De Silva and Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mr. QIZHENHONG.

Under this program, diesel fuel was provided by the People's Republic of China, and with the intervention of the Minister, it was converted to kerosene by the Petroleum Corporation providing 4.5 million liters of kerosene the market value of which is Rs. 1080 million.

Thus, in the first phase, 2,834 fishing vessels with outboard engines registered in 15 fishery districts including Colombo, Kalutara, Matara, Hambantota, Kalmune, Batticaloa, Mulathivu, Trincomalee, Kilinochchi, Mannaram, Puttalam, Halata and Gampaha will be supplied with 1,825,575 liters of kerosene at 75 liters of kerosene to a boat by 96 fuel stations nationwide. In the second phase, 78 liters of kerosene will be given to each fishing vessel, and the amount spent on a boat is Rs. is 37026. Measures will be taken to provide this stock through 96 fuel stations across the country and the amount of money spent by the government to distribute this stock is Rs. 60 million.

Under this, fuel is distributed among 405 boats in Colombo district, 455 in Kalutara, 116 in Galle, 1057 in Matara, 1050 in Hambantota, 1129 in Kalmune, 1851 in Batticaloa, 3938 in Trincomalee, 1169 in Kilinochchi, 5952 in Jaffna, 3070 in Mannar, 1523 in Mullaitivu, 3145 in Puttalam, 1983 in Chilaw and 1665 in Gampaha for a total of 29059 fishing boats.

According to the requests of the fishing boat owners who did not receive kerosene in the first phase, fuel subsidies will be given to those boats in the second phase.