Malaysia seizes two ships for illegal anchoring in Johor waters

Two ships with a total of 44 crew members were seized by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for alleged illegal anchoring in Johor waters. The first seizure involved a cargo ship registered in Sierra Leone with 15 Bangladeshi and Indonesian crew members, while the second seizure involved a tanker registered in Comoros with 29 Indian, Pakistani, and Iranian crew members. Both ships were found to be anchoring without permits and were escorted for further investigation by MMEA officers.

Malaysia has recorded the seizures of 297 ships during its crackdown on illegal operations in its waters. In a separate incident in December, Malaysian authorities boarded and detained two tankers, the Artemis III and the Ocean Hermana, accused of conducting an unauthorized ship-to-ship transfer of oil off the Malaysian coastline. The Artemis III was identified by a campaign group as being involved in transferring Iranian cargo without permission.

The MMEA is investigating the case of conducting ship-to-ship operations and anchoring without permission, as well as the obstruction of duties of a public servant by the two captains. These actions are part of Malaysia’s efforts to ensure that all vessels entering its waters, particularly in Johor, respect its sovereignty and comply with its laws.

Source .