KUCHING: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a cargo vessel and its crew after failing to produce a domestic shipping licence (DSL) during inspections.
MMEA Sarawak director First Admiral Zin Azman Md Yunus said they were detained on Monday (Aug 14) at about 1.9 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Muara Tebas.
“We found that they had allegedly committed an offence under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 for failing to produce a valid DSL.
“In addition, they are also suspected of committing another offence under the same ordinance for failing to display a document on the change of skipper in the Certificate of Malaysia Registry,” he said.
The vessel was operated by 14 crewmen including the skipper – a local, three Indians and 10 Indonesians.
Zin Azman added that the crew aged between 21 and 68, had valid identification documents during inspections.
Both the vessel and its crew were later escorted to the Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex Jetty (KOMTAS) in Muara Tebas for further investigation under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.
The maritime community are encouraged to channel information pertaining to any suspicious activity, maritime crime or emergency at sea directly to the MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544/ 432016.
