[COLOMBO, Sri Lanka] The Norwegian research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, a global flagship in oceanographic studies, has cancelled its planned 2025 survey in Sri Lankan waters due to delays in government approval.

The move has raised concern among the country’s marine science community, who fear political uncertainty is undermining critical ocean research.

Operated by Norway’s Institute of Marine Research and commissioned by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the EAF-Nansen Programme, the vessel supports sustainable management of marine resources in East and West Africa, and the Caribbean, as well as the Asia Pacific region.

The Nansen vessel first sailed into Sri Lanka in 1978 and again in 2018. It conducted extensive surveys of Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone to study fish stocks, ocean productivity, and ecosystem health in the vast maritime area extending up to 200 nautical miles (370km) off its coast.

In December 2023, Sri Lanka imposed a one-year moratorium on foreign research vessels, citing the need to develop local capacity and protocols.

Ali Sabry, the country’s foreign minister at the time, described the ban as a technical pause, but observers linked it to geopolitical tensions, particularly concerns from India over the dual-use — civilian and military — nature of Chinese research vessels in the region.

Though the moratorium was lifted in December 2024, Sri Lankan authorities failed to issue timely clearance for Dr. Fridtjof Nansen’s 2025 visit, in the absence of finalised standard operating procedures.

A late intervention by the Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake granted special approval, but by then, the FAO had reassigned the vessel to Madagascar, where approvals were already in place.

“We had been preparing for months planning out the studies to be conducted using the Dr. Fridtjof Nansen,” said Prabath Jayasinghe, senior scientist at the Sri Lankan National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency and lead coordinator designated to the Nansen survey.

“But all these efforts are now in vain,” he added.

One of the vessel’s key roles has been assessing commercial fish stocks in Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone, focusing on species abundance, distribution, and seasonal patterns.

During past missions, Dr. Fridtjof Nansen also collected vital oceanographic data —such as temperature, salinity, oxygen levels, and chlorophyll concentration — to evaluate marine ecosystem health. The surveys included studies on marine biodiversity, such as plankton and deep-sea organisms, and contributed to mapping seafloor habitats.

The 2018 Nansen mission was a milestone for Sri Lankan marine science. According to Jayasinghe, it involved 20 local scientists, contributed to over 15 peer-reviewed publications, and provided crucial data on fish stock depletion, biodiversity, and oceanographic conditions.

“The Nansen used the same methodology as the 1970s surveys, allowing us to compare decades of change,” Jayasinghe said.

“Another survey now would have added valuable new insights.”

He added that the mission was also expected to investigate water quality impacts from the 2021 X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, Sri Lanka’s worst maritime disaster, which resulted in the release of hazardous chemicals and plastic pellets into Sri Lankan waters.

Terney Pradeep Kumara, professor in oceanography at the department of oceanography and marine geology, at the University of Ruhuna, in Matara, Sri Lanka, voiced similar concerns.

“The Nansen missions provide high-resolution datasets that are difficult to obtain otherwise,” he said.

“Their absence delays our understanding of ocean dynamics and limits policy responses.”

Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone spans about 517,000 square kilometers — almost eight times its land area — with rich marine biodiversity and untapped resources.

In 2009, Sri Lanka also submitted a UN claim to extend its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, aiming to expand its seabed rights.

Kumara believes that as other nations ramp up exploration and extraction of marine resources such as cobalt and seabed minerals, Sri Lanka should also seize such opportunities to boost its development through marine research.

However, Kumara also stressed the importance of transparency and data sovereignty: “All research in our waters must be pre-approved, with Sri Lankan authorities retaining full access to the data and findings,” he told SciDev.Net.

Ruchira Cumaranatunga, former head of the faculty of fisheries and marine sciences at the University of Ruhuna, said that in the absence of a national research vessel, international collaborations like the Nansen are vital.

She also stressed the importance of equitable partnerships. “Sri Lankan scientists must be full participants in research missions. In past proposals involving foreign vessels, we’ve seen token inclusion of local researchers and limited transparency,” she added.

“Such practices risk compromising our sovereignty and scientific credibility, hence a framework to govern these kinds of research is also required,” Cumaranatunga said.

Marine scientists are also calling for development of domestic research capabilities, including acquiring a national research vessel.

“Sri Lanka’s marine systems are shaped by two monsoon regimes, shifting ocean currents, and migratory fish patterns — all of which are vulnerable to climate change,” said Cumaranatunga, stressing the need for continuous, science-based monitoring as the country looks to develop its ocean economy.

“We now have trained scientists ready to lead oceanographic missions, so It’s time to build on that momentum,” she added.

According to the earlier plans, the Dr. Fridtjof Nansen was scheduled to survey Sri Lankan waters from 15 July to 20 August 2025. However, with Sri Lanka off the itinerary due to delays in approval, the vessel is now conducting marine research in Madagascar.

As Sri Lanka faces rising challenges — from overfishing and climate change to marine pollution and resource competition — scientists stress the urgency of robust, science-based governance.

The missed Nansen mission, they say, should be a wake-up call to prioritise marine research as a national development goal.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to SciDev.Net’s request for comment.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Asia Pacific desk.