The State Minister of Defence, Hon. Ruwan Wijewardene was present to witness the demonstration. The Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mr. Kenichi Suganuma, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne and the Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalathunge were also present on the occasion.

Oil spills are one of the major threats to the marine environment today as ships capable of carrying larger quantities of oil around the globe may accidently discharge oil to the sea due to various reasons. The devastating effects of such incidents will cause numerous issues to the marine environment and will remain active for many years if not efficiently and effectively handled and spilled oil not removed as the shortest possible time. As Sri Lanka is located in the vicinity of a major sea line of communication, preparation for responding to oil spill incidents is of utmost importance. In this regard, the Government of Japan has extended their generous support to improve disaster prevention and environment protection capabilities of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG).