Tanker detained for illegal anchoring off Melaka coast

MELAKA: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained a Cameroon-registered oil tanker together with six crew members for illegally dropping anchor off the Tanjung Dahan coast here.

MMEA Negri Sembilan/Melaka director Maritime Capt Mohd Khairi Abd Aziz said the vessel was detained about 7.5 nautical miles (about 14km) from the shoreline here at 11.30am on Monday (Dec 25).

He said the crew from Iran, including the captain, aged between 37 to 70, were brought to the agency’s office here to assist in the investigation.

“The vessel also had no maritime insurance documents,” Maritime Capt Mohd Khairi said on Tuesday (Dec 26).

The vessel was on its way to Dubai from Japan.

The investigation is being carried out under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 for dropping anchor without permission which provides for fines of up to RM100,000 or jail up to two years, or both, upon conviction.