What Crew Members Say About Sakizaya-Ace

On December 8, 2019, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) took action against the bulk carrier 'Sakizaya Ace', which was allegedly found anchoring unlawfully outside the Port of Lumut. This operation was prompted by a report from the Lumut Marine Department. The Tugau Maritime Ship was dispatched to assess the situation, confirming that 'Sakizaya Ace' had indeed made an anchor stop on that date to perform maintenance in its cargo hold. At 2:30 p.m., the vessel was detained with a crew of 21 individuals, comprising nationals from China and Myanmar, aged between 24 and 56. Following the incident, authorities initiated an investigation under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952. The vessel's actions could result in significant penalties, including fines of up to RM100,000 for unauthorized anchoring without consent from the Malaysian Navy's Director-General.