Tugboat operator fined MVR 29m for Hulhumale environmental damage

The operator of a tugboat and rock barge that ran aground off the coast of Hulhumale earlier this year has been fined MVR 29.2 million for environmental damage.

The vessels, the tug Anadi and barge AM Manumith, are operated by Dubai-based ship management company The Middle East Marine LLC.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the fine in a press release on Tuesday, attributing the penalty to the damage caused to the coastal area during the incident, which occurred in February. The vessels were removed from the shore in April.

Following the recovery, a joint survey was conducted with surveyors appointed by the vessel owners to assess the extent of the coastal damage. According to the survey findings, approximately 1,159 acres of the area suffered significant damage.

Under the regulations outlined in the Environmental Damage Penalties and Compensation Regulations of the Environmental Protection and Conservation Act, the EPA imposed the MVR 29.2 million fine on Middle East Marine LLC.

The agency has directed the company to pay the fine within 30 days, starting from October 1.