Delayed coal shipments: No demurrages for this year

• $ 500k-600k delay charges collected from 1st 12 vessels 

Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said there has been no requirement to pay demurrage charges for coal ships this year (2026) as none of the vessels arrived at the unloading point on their scheduled dates.

Speaking to the media yesterday (19), he said that various misleading claims are currently being circulated regarding the ongoing coal unloading process and payments related to coal ships.

He said the relevant suppliers are informed in advance about the period during which vessels are expected to arrive, and that the demurrage charges become applicable only if a ship arrives on the scheduled date but unloading is delayed due to local issues. 

"Such a situation has not arisen this year in relation to vessels brought under the main tender process or emergency procurement procedures." Providing details of shipments arriving under the main tender process, Karunathilaka said the 15th vessel was scheduled to arrive on 3 March but only arrived on 8 April, whereas the 16th vessel, expected on 8 March, arrived on 12 April. The 17th vessel, due on 13 March, arrived on 29 April, and the 18th vessel, expected on 18 March, arrived on 18 April. The 19th vessel, which was expected on 23 March, is scheduled to arrive only on 22 May. 

He further said that delays were also recorded in vessels brought under emergency procurement procedures. The first vessel expected on 20 April arrived on 26 April, the second vessel expected on 25 April arrived on 29 April, and the third vessel expected on 30 April arrived on 12 May. The fourth vessel, expected on 5 May, arrived on 14 May, while the fifth vessel expected on 10 May arrived on 13 May.

He said that these delays clearly show that none of the vessels reached the unloading point on the agreed dates, and that therefore, there is no need to pay demurrage charges for any ship.

Deputy subject Minister Arkam Ilyas who spoke at the same media briefing noted that Sri Lanka had not previously recovered delay charges related to coal shipments, and that the present administration is the first to begin collecting such payments from suppliers. "We have, for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, begun recovering delay charges from suppliers, with approximately US$ 500,000 to 600,000 already collected from the first 12 vessels."

Source - The Morning