Tugboat detain during the enforcement operation in Bintulu waters on Tuesday.
BINTULU (July 29): The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Bintulu Maritime Zone has detained a tugboat suspected of operating without an anchor during an enforcement operation in Bintulu waters on Tuesday.
Bintulu Maritime Zone director Capt Muhammad Suffian Eldine Abdullah said the tugboat was intercepted at about 12.16pm approximately 3.1 nautical miles southwest off Tanjung Kidurong.
“Inspections found that the tugboat was suspected of committing an offence under Section 300 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance (MSO) 1952 for operating without an anchor, which is among the mandatory safety equipment required for a vessel.
“Further checks found that the tugboat was manned by eight crew members comprising two Malaysians, including the master, one Indonesian national, two Myanmar nationals and three Indian nationals,” he said in a statement.
Muhammad Suffian said the tugboat and its crew members were escorted to the Bintulu Maritime Zone Vessel Detention Centre before being handed over to MMEA investigating officers for further action.
He stressed that compliance with maritime safety requirements is the responsibility of every vessel owner, operator and crew to reduce the risk of accidents and ensure the safety of lives at sea.
“MMEA will not compromise against any vessel that fails to comply with national maritime regulations and safety laws. Enforcement efforts will continue to be strengthened to ensure Malaysian waters remain safe, orderly and in accordance with established maritime standards,” he said.
He also urged the maritime community to comply with navigation regulations and immediately report any information, complaints or maritime emergencies via the emergency line 999, Bintulu Maritime Zone Operations Centre at 086-314254 or Sarawak Maritime Operations Centre at 082-432544 for prompt action.