IN efforts aimed at tacklin illegal activities and fraudulent registrations, the Zanzibar government has announced plans to verify all international vessels registered under the Tanzanian flag through Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA).

Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed, the Minister for Infrastructure, Communication and Transport, made the statement in the House of Representatives on Thursday, stating that any vessel found engaged in illegal activities would face deregistration.

He was responding to questions from some representatives including Dr Mohammed Ali Suleiman of Mtambwe constituency, who inquired about the benefits of licencing international vessels and regulating their activities in Zanzibar.

“We have encountered issues with some vessels involved in illegal activities. At least 15 ships flying Tanzanian flag have been identified as violating laws and regulations. We are making progress but we have planned verification exercises to ensure compliance,” Dr Mohamed said.

He emphasized the importance of the initiatives for both national security and the integrity of Zanzibar’s maritime sector.

“By verifying our vessels and enhancing surveillance, we can better protect our waters and ensure that all maritime activities are conducted legally and responsibly.”

Since 2020,  Zanzibar Maritime Authority has registered 800 international ships, accumulating a total gross tonnage (GT) of 3,068,376.32. Additionally, 40 local vessels with a total GT of 58,115 have also been registered. The comprehensive registration process has enabled ZMA to collect over 10.1bn/- in registration fees.

In April this year, Zanzibar announced plans to introduce surveillance radar and marine vessel tracking systems to promote safe fishing and transportation activities in the Indian Ocean.

Minister Mohamed announced this in Dar es Salaam while officiating at the opening of a two day Regional Seminar on Africa Ferry Safety.

“Currently there are around 380 illegal harbours used for boarding and disembarking of passengers and cargo. This contravenes safety measures. The government is in the process of dealing with this by introducing surveillance radar and marine vessels tracking systems,” he said.

He said that being an island within the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar residents and visitors do mostly depend on ferries for movement of people and goods and this exposes them to accidents and therefore the government is introducing the measures to protect life and economy of the archipelago.

According to him, there have been some deadly ferry mishaps that occurred in the past but the government took serious measures to ensure such accidents don’t occur again.