The company operating two vessels responsible for causing great damage to the reef in Fushidhiggaru island in Kaafu Atoll, has been slammed with the maximum possible fine for it.
Mainland Shipping Pvt. Ltd, the local operator for the two vessels, was ordered to incur the fine and make payments for it in full within 30 days. The company was informed of this on March 14th.
Two vessels, a tugboat named ‘Muthaa Royal’ and a barge named “Muthaa Grace”, ran aground into the reef in late 2015, causing damage to over 4,000 square meters.
The Environmental Protection Agency found that up to 4,370 square meters of reef had been damaged. It took authorities until March the following year to recover the barge and another year to recover the tug boat.
The agency has calculated the total cost of the damage to be upwards of 110.3 million, but the maximum fine for causing such damage to the environment is 100 million.
