The UAE said on Saturday that tankers smuggling oil in the waters of the Arabian Gulf will be confiscated, and severe penalties will be given to their owners, reported the Gulf News.
Speaking during a meeting of a ministerial committee set up to follow up vessels busting the international embargo and smuggling oil across the Gulf, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed the "keen desire of relevant authorities in the UAE to continue applying tough measures against vessels violating the embargo and smuggling oil," the paper quoted him as saying in a statement.
He said that the penalties will include confiscation of such tankers and their shipments as well as punishing companies owning them whether they were local or branches of foreign based companies.
Sheikh Hamdan said that "severe legal actions would be taken against such vessels and their owners to make it a deterrent for those who violate the laws and expose the environment to pollution.”
The paper said that the committee also discussed the environmental damage caused by the Iraqi vessel, Zainab, which sank off Jebel Ali last week.
The committee was briefed on the efforts made to fight pollution and contain the damage, the paper said.
Also reviewed was the situation of another vessel, Diamond, intercepted by international observers and towed to Port Zayed last Thursday.
The committee decided to ban such vessels from entering the country's territorial waters - Albawaba.com
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