INDONESIA: The Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has suspended the operations of two vessels, MV Yang Cheng 6 and MV Zhou Shun 9, suspected of illegal sand dredging in Batam Waters, Riau Islands.

The vessels, a dredger and a cargo ship, were seized on Wednesday (9 Oct) for allegedly operating without the necessary permits and documentation.

Although the ships were flying Malaysian flags at the time of the seizure, they were also displaying the flags of Singapore and the Republic of Sierra Leone.

According to the Marine Traffic website, both vessels are registered under the flag of Sierra Leone, a West African nation.

The MV Yang Cheng 6, specifically, is listed as 130 metres long, 20 metres wide, with a gross weight of 8,012 tonnes

The case was officially announced by the KKP during a press conference held on Thursday (10 Oct).

Key officials present included Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision (PSDKP) Pung Nugroho Saksono, Director General of Marine and Marine Space Management Viktor Gustaaf Manoppo, and KKP spokesperson Wahyu Muryadi, along with other senior officials.

Director General of PSDKP Pung Nugroho Saksono shared the sequence of events leading to the arrest.

While Minister Sakti was aboard the Orca vessel en route to Nipah Island on Wednesday (9 Oct) he passed the MV Yang Cheng 6.

The Minister immediately ordered an inspection of the vessel, which revealed that it lacked proper documentation, except for papers belonging to the ship’s captain.

“This ship has been under our surveillance for some time,” said Pung, adding that the MV Yang Cheng 6 had frequently entered Indonesian waters.

He emphasised that, to date, the Ministry has not issued any permits for sea sand extraction, as stipulated in Government Regulation (PP) No 26 of 2024 on the Utilisation of Marine Sedimentation.

Pung stated that while the investigation is still ongoing, preliminary inspections have found around 10,000 cubic metres of sea sand aboard the Yang Cheng 6.

This quantity represents a single dredging operation lasting nine hours.

He explained that the government had introduced PP No 26 of 2024 to regulate marine sedimentation extraction and prevent the illegal exploitation of Indonesia’s sea sand resources.

According to the ship’s captain, the vessel typically carries out ten sand suction operations each month, with plans to transport the sand to Singapore.

Captain denies illegal sand dredging

However, one of the crew members, who identified himself as the captain of the MV Yang Cheng 6, Tias, denied any involvement in illegal dredging activities in Indonesian waters.

He stated that the ship had completed sand extraction in Muar, Malaysia, and was on its way to Changi, Singapore, when it was intercepted by Indonesian authorities.

Tias explained that, according to international maritime border regulations, ships are required to pass through the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), a route close to Indonesian waters.

Tias insisted that the sand aboard the MV Yang Cheng 6 had been extracted from Malaysian waters, not from Indonesia.

However, he acknowledged that he was unable to present the ship’s documents during the inspection, explaining that the paperwork was stored at the shipping company’s office in Malaysia.

“That’s why we couldn’t produce the documents during the inspection,” he said.

He also emphasised that the ship’s activities had no connection to Indonesia and that the sea sand was intended for Singapore.

The two vessels are currently moored in waters near Batam.

Illegal dredging costs Indonesia over IDR 223 billion annually, official warns

The Director General of PKRL, Viktor Gustaaf Manoppo, estimated that Indonesia loses over Rp223.2 billion (approx. US$ 14.3 million) annually from the operations of a single illegal dredging ship.

This figure is based on the production of sand suction conducted each year. “While we continue to assess ecological damage, the financial losses to the state are already significant,” Viktor stated.

He further noted that the current price for one cubic metre of sea sand is  Rp186,000 (US$11.94), and calculated that the loss for a single ship amounts to Rp223.2 billion.

This estimate does not include other potential revenue losses, such as export duties and mining permits.

Viktor warned that if multiple ships are involved, the losses could skyrocket.

“We will continue to investigate the full extent of these operations, especially since much of this dredging likely occurs at night, making it difficult to monitor,” he concluded.

Hurricane Milton swept across central Florida on 10 October, after making landfall on the state’s west coast the previous evening, causing extensive damage with strong winds, heavy rain, and tornadoes.

The storm initially struck near Siesta Key on 9 October at approximately 8.30 pm EDT (8.30 am Singapore time on 10 October), with winds reaching 195 km/h, classifying it as a Category 3 hurricane, according to the US National Hurricane Centre.

As the hurricane continued eastward through Florida, it weakened to a Category 1 storm by early 10 October, with maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h.

Despite this downgrade, the danger remained high, with severe rainfall and significant storm surges. The hurricane’s eye was about 75 km west-southwest of Cape Canaveral, which houses Nasa’s Space Force Station, at the time.

A flash flood emergency was declared for the Tampa Bay region, covering Tampa, St Petersburg, and Clearwater. The National Hurricane Centre reported that St Petersburg alone experienced 422 mm of rain on 9 October. Authorities warned that seawater could surge as high as 4 metres in certain areas, potentially inundating coastal communities.

Governor Ron DeSantis expressed hope that Tampa Bay would avoid the worst of the storm’s effects due to the timing of landfall before high tide.

However, Milton had already unleashed at least 19 tornadoes across the state, damaging numerous counties and destroying around 125 homes, including many mobile homes. “At this point, it’s too dangerous to evacuate safely, so you have to shelter in place and just hunker down,” Mr DeSantis said during a briefing following the storm’s landfall.

Tragically, at least two fatalities were reported at a retirement community in Fort Pierce on Florida’s eastern coast, following a suspected tornado, as cited by NBC News and St Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson.

The sheriff estimated that approximately 100 homes were destroyed by the tornadoes in the county, which saw about 17 touch down.

The hurricane caused significant power outages, leaving more than two million homes and businesses without electricity, according to data from PowerOutage.us. The storm was projected to move across Florida overnight before entering the Atlantic Ocean on 10 October, still maintaining hurricane strength.

Wow! My cousin sent this to me by a neighbor of his of the tornado that struck Wellington, FL from earlier today. Incredible speed & power that tornado possessed. #HurricaneMilton #flwx pic.twitter.com/QnF8hRQTQo

— Thee 🌪ornadorologist (@tornadorology) October 9, 2024

The arrival of Hurricane Milton comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene battered the southern United States, including Florida. State officials had already ordered the evacuation of up to two million residents ahead of Milton’s impact, with millions more remaining in its path. The cumulative damage from both hurricanes is expected to reach billions of dollars.

Florida’s recovery efforts were bolstered by federal support, with President Joe Biden being briefed on the situation by emergency response teams.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has mobilised significant resources, including millions of litres of water, meals, and personnel, to assist those affected by Milton, even as it continues recovery work following Hurricane Helene.

Governor DeSantis confirmed that 9,000 National Guard personnel and 50,000 utility workers were deployed to aid in clearing debris and restoring power. Search-and-rescue teams were on standby to begin operations as soon as conditions allowed. “It’s going to mean pretty much all the rescues are going to be done in the dark, in the middle of the night, but that’s fine. They’re going to do that,” he added.

Despite these efforts, the damage from Hurricane Milton remains severe. High waves nearing 8.5 metres were recorded offshore, while boats were beached in St Petersburg, adding to the destruction.

Many parts of Florida faced fuel shortages, with almost 25% of petrol stations running dry by the afternoon of 9 October as residents evacuated.

While the human toll is the most pressing concern, other local efforts included protecting animals at Tampa’s zoo, where staff sheltered African elephants, flamingos, and other species.

The zoo joined residents in bracing for the worst, highlighting the widespread impact of the hurricane.

Political Controversy Surrounding Federal Response

The hurricane’s approach has also intensified political disputes, particularly as the US prepares for elections.

President Biden condemned the spread of disinformation regarding the government’s hurricane response, describing it as an attempt to “undermine confidence” in rescue and recovery efforts.

Former President Donald Trump has been critical of the Biden administration’s handling of disaster relief, especially following the impact of Hurricane Helene.

Trump claimed that resources intended for disaster victims had been diverted to assist migrants, a claim which Fema has categorically denied, emphasising that no disaster relief funds were diverted for this purpose.

Fema noted that its Disaster Relief Fund remains separate from budgets designated for migrant assistance.

In a highly charged political climate, these statements have led to further scrutiny of the federal response. Nonetheless, Fema asserts that it has the resources necessary for immediate response and recovery operations following both hurricanes.