The Commander Eastern Naval Area & Commandant Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral HGU Dammika Kumara declared open the newly constructed Boat Lowering Station at Pepper Pot Jetty in the Naval and Maritime Academy today (11th March 2023). The new facility has been put up with a view of further expansion of training efficiency at the Merchant Marine Training School (MMTS), NMA.
Lifeboat launching and recovering station is one of the mandatory requirements to be fulfilled by an approved Maritime Training Institute (AMTI) to comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) to carry out Personnel Survival Training (PST) practical as part of the STCW course module. The facility has been a long-felt need of the Merchant Marine Training School in NMA as there was no proper facility to simulate rescue boat launching operations for trainees. Hence, the construction of this boat lowering station commenced in December 2021 and the remaining work of it was expedited with the directives of the Commandant Naval & Maritime Academy, Rear Admiral Damian Fernando.
The new facility came true with the assistance of the departmental expertise and able manpower in the Eastern Naval Area and it will be a great opportunity to simulate rescue boat launching operations conveniently for under trainees of Sri Lanka Navy. On the other hand, it would be advantageous in obtaining the Certificate of Competency (COC) as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch in Merchant marine field.
Senior officers of the Eastern Naval Command and the faculty members of the NMA were also present on this occasion.
