The Sri Lanka Navy has reported approximately US$3.32 million in foreign exchange earnings from maritime security support services over the past year, following its decision to independently operate facilities used by private security teams aboard merchant vessels.
The figures were disclosed on October 21 following an inspection of the Navy’s Pettigalawatta Armoury Complex in Galle by Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara.
The Navy began independently conducting Onboard Security Team support operations on October 3, 2025.
According to the official announcement, 28 foreign private maritime security companies currently obtain facilities and services through 10 local agents.
The operations are conducted under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence.
Foreign companies use facilities in Galle
The Pettigalawatta Armoury Complex provides storage facilities for weapons and equipment belonging to private maritime security companies.
These companies deploy security personnel aboard merchant vessels operating along international shipping routes.
The Navy’s role includes supporting arrangements for the security teams and the equipment they use.
During the October 20 inspection, Deputy Minister Jayasekara reviewed the facilities and their operations with Navy Commander Vice Admiral Damian Fernando.
The Navy reported that the services had generated approximately US$3.32 million in foreign exchange earnings since it began operating them independently.
The announcement did not provide the number of vessel movements supported, the number of individual security-team deployments or the charges applied to each service.
Twenty-eight foreign companies and ten local agents
The Navy currently provides services to 28 foreign private maritime security companies operating through 10 local agents.
These figures establish the number of companies and agents using the service at the time of the announcement.
They do not establish how many companies were active throughout the entire reporting period.
The distribution of the US$3.32 million in earnings between individual customers is also undisclosed.
Consequently, dividing the reported earnings equally among the 28 companies would not establish how much any individual company paid.
3 October 2025: Independent operations commenced.
US$3.32 million: Approximate foreign exchange earnings reported for the past year.
28: Foreign private maritime security companies currently using the services.
10: Local agents working with those companies.
Revenue figures leave operating costs unanswered
The Navy’s announcement identifies foreign exchange earnings generated by the maritime security operations.
It does not provide the cost of maintaining the facilities, deploying personnel or administering the services.
The amount retained by the Navy after operating expenditure has therefore not been established.
The announcement also does not disclose whether the earnings are recorded entirely as government revenue, how much is transferred to the Treasury or whether any portion is retained for operational purposes.
Those figures would be needed to assess the financial return from the operation.
Operating costs may include personnel, maintenance, equipment and administrative expenditure. The official announcement provides no amounts for these categories.
The US$3.32 million figure should therefore be understood as reported foreign exchange earnings rather than a verified net profit.
Commercial shipping services form part of the Navy’s activities
Sri Lanka occupies a position close to major international shipping routes crossing the Indian Ocean.
The Navy carries out maritime security duties alongside services connected to commercial shipping.
Its Onboard Security Team support operations concern private companies providing security aboard merchant vessels.
Those arrangements are separate from the Navy’s wider responsibility for monitoring maritime activity and protecting Sri Lanka’s waters.
Lakbima News previously examined the distinction between territorial waters and international shipping routes in its report on Iranian-linked vessels operating in waters near Sri Lanka.
The Galle operation concerns a different aspect of maritime activity: providing facilities and support services to commercial security operators.
Government reviews the operation
During the inspection, Deputy Minister Jayasekara reviewed the progress of the maritime security support programme.
The Navy stated that instructions were issued for the continued operation of the facilities.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Navy attended the inspection.
The October 21 statement does not announce a new investment programme, additional facilities or an expansion target for the coming year.
It also provides no comparative earnings figures for the period before October 2025.
The latest disclosure establishes the reported foreign exchange earnings and the current number of participating companies. The cost of delivering the services remains outside the published figures.
