Sri Lanka Has No Immediate Plan to Assist 19 Iranian Ships Facing Shortages

COLOMBO, Oct 10: Sri Lanka has no immediate plans to provide assistance to 19 Iranian vessels anchored in international waters off its coast despite reported shortages of food, drinking water and fuel, the Associated Press (AP) reported Friday, citing Sri Lankan officials.

Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo said the vessels were located about 24 nautical miles from the country’s coast. He added that companies supplying ships were aware of the risk of facing US secondary sanctions if they provided assistance to the Iranian vessels.

Rodrigo said Washington had not contacted Sri Lanka to warn of potential repercussions should the country provide assistance to the ships. Despite the reported shortages, Colombo has not announced any immediate measures to supply the vessels with essential provisions or fuel.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath identified the vessels as Iranian oil tankers and said they had been stranded off Sri Lanka for several months following the resumption of the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The restrictions have reportedly left dozens of Iranian vessels unable to return home.

The situation has placed the vessels in a difficult position, with reported shortages of basic supplies and uncertainty over whether commercial suppliers would be willing to assist them amid the risk of US sanctions. Secondary sanctions can expose companies or individuals to penalties for certain transactions involving parties targeted by US sanctions, potentially discouraging suppliers from conducting business with them.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Embassy in Sri Lanka said it had no details on the matter, according to AP.

The reported presence of the 19 vessels comes amid continuing tensions surrounding Iranian shipping and restrictions affecting maritime movements linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for global oil transportation. The latest account did not specify the names of the vessels, their cargo capacities, the quantities of supplies remaining on board or whether any of the ships had formally requested emergency assistance from Sri Lankan authorities.

Sri Lanka has not indicated when it might reconsider its position or whether it would provide humanitarian assistance if the reported shortages worsened.