Ships from ten countries were blacklisted on Monday buy the UAE as part of the Gulf state’s efforts to prevent maritime pollution, reported the Gulf News.
UAE’s Prime Minister Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued a cabinet decision banning ships carrying the flags of Albania, Belize, Honduras, Georgia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Mauritius, Cambodia, Maldives, Comoro Islands and Bolivia from entering UAE ports or approaching the country's territorial waters.
The decision stated that ships flying flags of these countries were banned from entering UAE ports, anchorage areas, territorial waters and the country's economic zone unless they carried valid classification certificates issued by the International Association of Classification Societies.
The decision said that ships which were not covered by the ban and had licenses issued by the ministry of communications would continue to operate until the expiry of their contracts with relevant authorities. However, once the contracts ended they would not be renewed.
The decision, said the paper, authorized relevant government authorities to seize ships violating the ban and to take appropriate actions against them.
The decision also ordered the closure of all registration companies belonging to the countries, and a ban on the opening of similar ones – Albawaba.com
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