Handout photo of the three barges anchored and docked with each other at Bintulu’s second port on July 28.
BINTULU (July 31): A cargo ship, tugboat and three barges were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in waters here last week for violating the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.
MMEA Bintulu director Capt Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad said among the offences committed included failing to produce a Domestic Shipping Licence; not informing in writing of the change of the skipper’s name in the vessel registration certificate; and operating without sufficient crew as required in the licence.
“For the offence of failing to present a Domestic Shipping Licence, conviction under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 provides for a compound of up to RM5,000.
“For not notifying in writing the change of the skipper’s name in the vessel registration certificate, conviction provides for a compound of RM2,500, while for the offence of operating without sufficient crew, the compound is RM1,000,” he said in a statement.
Elaborating on the cases, he said the three barges were found anchored and docked with each other at Bintulu’s second port on July 28, while the tugboat was found anchored two nautical miles from Kemena River Estuary the same day.
The cargo ship, meanwhile, was detained July 29 about four nautical miles from Tanjung Kidurong, he added.
“MMEA wishes to remind the maritime community to comply with all legal regulations before doing any activity at sea,” said Mohd Khairol.
Complaints or information on suspicious activities or accidents at sea can be channelled to the Malaysian Emergency Response Services line on 999, MMEA Bintulu operations centre (086-314254), or MMEA Sarawak operations centre (082-432544).
