BINTULU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained a tugboat and two crew members for operating without the minimum number of personnel required under maritime regulations.
MMEA Bintulu director Captain Muhammad Suffian Eldine Abdullah said the vessel was intercepted at around 2.30 pm on Tuesday at about 4.9 nautical miles northwest of Kuala Kemena, during routine patrols under ‘Op Tiris’, ‘Op Permai’ and ‘Op Mardof’.
“Inspections found the tugboat was manned by two individuals – a 26-year-old local and a 23-year-old Indonesian – which falls short of the minimum staffing requirement stipulated in its operating licence.
“The crew is believed to have committed an offence under Rule 12 of the Boat Rules 1953 for failing to comply with manning requirements set by the Port Officer. Upon conviction, the offence carries a fine or compound,” he said.
Both the vessel and crew members were escorted to the Bintulu MMEA Vessel Detention Centre for further investigation.
Suffian reminded the maritime community to always comply with the laws and practice safety procedures at sea to prevent unwanted incidents.
Members of the public are urged to report complaints, information, or emergencies at sea directly to the MMEA Bintulu Operations Centre at 086-314254 or MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544.
