Government to verify Tanzania-flagged vessels

ZANZIBAR: IN an effort to combat illegal activities and fraudulent registrations, the Zanzibar government plans to verify all international vessels registered under the Tanzanian flag by the Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA).

The Minister of Infrastructure, Communication, and Transport, Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed, informed members of the House of Representatives that any vessel found to be engaged in illegal activities risks deregistration.

The announcement followed inquiries from backbenchers, including Dr Mohammed Ali Suleiman (Mtambwe constituency), who wanted to know how Zanzibar benefits from licensing international vessels and regulating their activities.

“We have encountered issues with some vessels involved in illegal activities.

At least 15 ships flying the Tanzanian flag have been identified as violating laws and regulations. We are making progress, but we have planned verification exercises,” the Minister stated.

ALSO READ: Zanzibar to introduce Surveillance radar, MV tracking systems in Indian Ocean

From 2020 to 2024, the Zanzibar Maritime Authority registered 800 international ships with a total gross tonnage (GT) of 3,068,376.32, along with 40 local ships totaling 58,115 GT.

This has enabled the Authority to collect over 10.1bn/- in registration fees.