A tanker carrying over 200,000 tons of crude oil caught fire in the water east of Sri Lanka on Sept. 3, 2020. 

Upon receiving the news, the China-Sri Lanka Joint Center for Education & Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, promptly collaborated with the University of Ruhuna in Sri Lanka, Chinese-funded enterprises, and other relevant institutions, along with domestic marine meteorology experts, to conduct meteorological and marine forecasts and analyze potential impacts in the area. 

The results were immediately sent to the Sri Lanka Marine Environmental Protection Agency and the Disaster Management Department of the Southern Province in Sri Lanka. 

In addition to the high-resolution sea surface current forecast results issued by the China-Sri Lanka Joint Center, researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed and forecasted the ocean currents in the area using the global 10km LICOM forecast system (LFS), as well as the lower-level wind field pattern for the next two weeks using the FGOALS-f2 weather-climate dynamic ensemble forecast system. 

Terney Pradeep, an official from the Sri Lanka Marine Environmental Protection Agency, expressed gratitude for the practical forecasts and observational information provided by Chinese experts, enabling Sri Lankan authorities to continually adjust their firefighting and response strategies.