Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has revealed that regulations have been formulated to respond to vessels that run aground or sink in Maldivian waters.
The transport ministry stated 11 regulations have been submitted to the Attorney General's Office (AGO). The decision was made to strengthen the maritime sector in the Maldives, as it currently lack many crucial regulations. The country has recorded huge environmental damages due to incidents involving cargo ships and oil tankers. Currently, the government responds to such incidents by issuing fines based on the environmental damage, in accordance with the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act.
Speaking to PSM News, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Hussain Nazeer said the new regulations include actions to be taken regarding cargo ships that run aground on reefs and foreign vessels travelling in Maldivian waters. He said the new regulations will clearly dictate the actions to take for state authorities, adding that more regulations will be formulated to regulate the maritime sector. He noted there are many existing regulations related to the maritime sector, but most of them are for domestic sea travel. He said there are no regulations regarding vessels that enter or leave Maldivian territory and that the necessary regulations will be formulated within six months.
The ministry stated the new regulations include rules related to the safety of passengers on vessels, actions to take in response to injuries of deaths onboard ships, and new categories for vessel licenses. It also include rules on sustainable waste management onboard ships and the protocols for vessels that dock in Maldivian ports.
The government aims to ensure safety and reduce the number of incidents at sea as well as make maritime in the Maldives an environmentally friendly green sector.