The Merchant Shipping Secretariat (MSS) is investigating a bribery complaint lodged by the captain of a foreign cargo vessel who alleges he was made to pay USD 5,000 to facilitate an inspection at the Colombo Port, The Island reports.
According to the newspaper, the complaint concerns the Indonesian-flagged cement carrier Sensho, which arrived at the port on Friday (July 17) and departed after clearing a port state control inspection. The captain alleges he paid the sum to an official to have the inspection facilitated.
After making the payment, the captain lodged formal complaints with both the MSS and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), the report said. The vessel — and the complainant — have since left Colombo, a factor that could complicate the inquiry.
The Island said the case had surfaced despite the government’s high-profile anti-corruption drive, with the MSS receiving a detailed complaint on the matter. No officials have been publicly named in connection with the allegations, and neither the MSS nor CIABOC has announced any findings.
Port state control inspections are routine checks carried out on foreign-flagged ships calling at a country’s ports to verify compliance with international safety, security and environmental standards.
