MECA sets up team to monitor bitumen disposal by ships in Omani waters

In May this year, MECA seized an oil tanker carrying 2mn barrels which was found dumping contaminants near the sultanate’s coasts. Eng Omran bin Mohammed al Kamzari, director of Pollution Control Center at MECA said that these contaminants are a threat to the marine environment and difficult to deal with.

“The main cause of Oman’s water pollution is that some commercial ships and oil tankers wash their tanks while crossing our territorial waters. Such conducts are a violation of international and domestic regulations. Disposal of bitumen not just affects the marine environment but also leads to many health, social and economic problems.”

MECA has formed a technical team comprising experts dealing with oil pollution, officials from ROP’s Coast Guard Unit and representatives from the Directorate General of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources in Musandam Governorate and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to deal with these violations.

“We have come up with a plan with concerned government and private entities to jointly monitor Omani coastlines particularly the coast of Dibba. We have also increased inspection tours to monitor ships and oil tankers that criss-cross Omani territorial waters and check for violations,” said Kamzari. According to the Royal Decree 114/2001 governing the environment protection and combating pollution law any oil tanker found in violation can be penalised.