The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has impounded two articulated trucks loaded with a shipwreck removed from the sea without the necessary authorization.
The wrecks were said to have been removed by workers of Yusuf Star Scrap Management at a cost of about GH₵200,000.
Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), briefing the media on the interception at Tema, said the shipwrecks, which were far out at sea, were brought close to shore, cut, and taken out.
Dr. Ali said that because such metals had a good market, they were removed and sold to various metal companies. “But to the extent that this was done without the needed permission and regulation, we have to arrest them because they also have an impact on the ecosystem.”
“So, we want to emphasize as an authority that no shipwreck should be removed without coming to the authority, applying for the necessary processes, and getting permission to do that because that is why there are laws governing that; it is absolutely important that it is regulated.”
Dr. Ali stated that fishermen had been complaining about the activities of some people removing shipwrecks and their impact on the available fish resources.
Therefore, there was a need to properly regulate the removal of shipwrecks, which includes having the requisite authorization and assessment to determine whether they should be allowed.
He added that his outfit had the mandate to ensure that the maritime space and its ecosystem were well preserved, which extended not just to ships but also to dealing with matters in the maritime space.
He emphasized that the removal of shipwrecks could not be done without going through the processes of the GMA, explaining that although shipwrecks could sometimes be a source of hazard, they also served as a source of ecosystem preservation, as they promoted the growth of fisheries and other living organisms at sea.
Dr. Ali said, “So, there are pros and cons of shipwrecks being at sea, and that is why it is an area that must be well regulated. Any other thing that is at the bottom of the sea must be regulated.”
In this instance, the people who had removed the shipwrecks did so without the authorization of the Ghana Maritime Authority.
The Director-General of the GMA said that, having received information that such activities had been ongoing for some years, a team from his outfit conducted surveillance and intelligence activities and interdicted it.
He said he had reviewed some of the methods used to remove the wrecks, revealing that it was a very risky but highly proficient activity, involving spending hours at sea trying to cut off these metals and floating them to shore.
“It shows the level of proficiency and competencies that people may have in our country,” he said.
“So, the question is, how do we use that proficiency of divers who can spend many hours at sea? How do we use the proficiency of people who also see this as a source of livelihood, and how do we combine all that to make sure that it is well regulated and our economy is well preserved?” he asked.
Dr. Ali stated that, normally, the intercepted shipwreck must be confiscated by the state, but as a regulatory organization, they understand the importance of regulations, especially when people do not have the full spectrum of information about what they must go through.
He said that rather than fully confiscating the wrecks, the Authority would have a discussion with those who had engaged in this activity, ensure they understand the processes, and require them to sign a bond, with other consequences to follow.
“They may have to pay the requisite penalty for violating the law without necessarily confiscating this,” he said.
He further added that the GMA wanted to ensure that, going forward, such activities were well regulated, as doing it without the proper process could endanger lives, as they carry items, including gas cylinders, to sea to conduct their activities.
He said that because it is unregulated, the dealers might not even get the correct price for it, as buyers are aware that it is unregulated, stressing that it was therefore important that the economies of scale and everything that goes with it are also considered.
The Director-General said, “Requisite education will be put in place, the processes will be disseminated so that anybody who wants to engage in this in a lawful way will apply, and we can go through the processes, including what we call an environmental impact assessment, and then we can regulate the market for the removal of shipwrecks.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Prince Ibrahim, an official of Yusuf Star Scrap Management, said he was unaware that it was unlawful for them to salvage the shipwreck without authorization.