DUBAI 26 March 2018: Dubai Municipality recovered 16.3 tonnes of waste from the remnants of a commercial ship loaded with goods in Dubai Creek.
The clearance of waste from the creek has contributed to ensuring uninterrupted navigational movement and preservation of the marine environment.
Talib Julfar, Assistant Director-General of Dubai Municipality for Environment and Public Health Services Sector, said that the ship had set out at dawn last Thursday to exit Dubai Creek, but as a result of a collision with one of the wave breakers, it sunk at the entrance to the creek, said Wam.
“Considering the sensitivity of the site, and to stop the spread of goods over a wide area in the water, a specialised team to follow up emergency cases in water channels was called in. The team took all necessary measures and provided the marine scavengers and manpower to recover the sinking products and waste from the ship in record time.
“The site was surrounded by a sea barrier, preventing the spread and floating of waste in the creek waters because of the currents of the sea. The team recovered goods fallen from the ship, mostly electrical appliances, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, which can leak dangerous substances in a marine environment,” he said.
Julfar said that Dubai Municipality is keen to maintain the cleanliness of waterways and lagoons in the emirate by strengthening its fleet of waterway cleaning vessels and implementing a range of initiatives and campaigns to keep these sites clean and sustainable, including Dubai Creek, Jaddaf Creek, Dubai Water Canal and Business Bay Canal, as well as expansions and new channels, such as the Waterfront Market overlooking the fish market and the Deira Harbour Canal, as these sites have tourism, economic and historical importance.
Abdulmajeed Sifaie, Director of the Waste Management Department at Dubai Municipality, said that the marine fleet of the Waste Management Department has been prepared for handling various marine disasters, as the department possesses a variety of marine vehicles that operate with an automatic hydraulic system, ensuring high efficiency in cleanliness and minimising human intervention.
He added that the Waterway Cleaning Unit in the Waste Management Department has a 24-hour operational crew for cleaning the waterways of Dubai, and the team has been trained carefully and professionally for immediate response to emergencies and marine disasters.