Lawmaker proposes establishing state institution specialized in towage service

Dhangethi MP Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim has submitted a resolution to the Parliament calling on the state to establish an institution or company which specializes in towing marine vessels which run aground.

The resolution, which Nazim submitted to the Parliament last week, stresses on the losses incurred by marine vessel owners due to lack of a specialized state institution which offer marine towage services when fishing boats, passenger boats, cargo boats, liveaboards, international ships and other marine vessels run aground or are cast adrift at sea.

It highlights on the challenges facing vessel owners in seeking a party to tow their vessels, acquiring the resources needed for the work, and paying for the service upfront.

It also highlighted on the losses incurred by families who depend on the income from the vessels which are damaged in such incidents.

“The destruction of vessels which wreck on reefs doesn’t just mean the destruction of the vessel itself. The livelihood of the many people which is dependent on the vessel. The source of income of many,” noted Nazim in his resolution.

The resolution also notes that vessel owners are also required to take responsibility for the environmental damage from such incidents, which are only exacerbated with the delay in towing the vessels due to either their inability to afford or find a party to tow the vessels.

It also says that even vessels which have insurance coverage have difficulty in obtaining compensation, and sometimes face lengthy court battles which stretches years in order to obtain the money.

“It’s worse when there isn’t any insurance coverage. There is no hope or opportunity of receiving compensation ever,” noted Nazim in his resolution.

The lawmaker also noted that local press coverage showed that at least 10 vessels had faced such issues over the past 12 months.

He said that the priority of both the Coastguard and the police in shipwrecks is to save civilians, and that cargo and towing missions are only run when the resources needed for such work is provided by vessel owners.

Nazim said that towing services were costly, and that it was important for the state to establish a specialized institution or company to offer the service.

He has called on the parliamentary assembly to bring to the Maldivian government’s attention the importance and merits of establishing a specialized state institution to offer marine towing services and to regulate the service and set policies and regulations for the service in Maldives, and for the Maldivian government to take action to remedy the issue.