Fuel barge that wrecked on Noomara reef in 2019 slapped with MVR 61M fine

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has slapped a fuel barge that wrecked on the reef off Sh. Noomara back in 2019 with a MVR 61 million fine. 

Marine Power 2317 ran aground the Noomara reef on October 26, 2019. 

EPA said in a statement on Wednesday that the owner of the barge has been fined MVR 61,681,316 for damage to the reef under the Environmental Protection Act. 

The barge’s local agent – Rohoffe Pvt. Ltd. was instructed to pay the fine within 30 days on Tuesday, said EPA. 

EPA said a survey of the area after the barge was refloated showed the incident caused direct damage to a 1,632-squaremeter area of the reef.   

EPA said that the barge was refloated, and debris cleared from the area on November 16.