The natural resources and environment ministry has activated the state operations committee to control the oil spill from the engine of cargo ship, Sinica Graeca following its collision with tanker ship, Chemroad Mega in the waters off Johor on Aug 17.

In a statement issued yesterday, the ministry said the collision between the two ships occurred at 8.20pm.

“The committee will include the Department of Environment (DOE) and various other agencies under the national oil spill contingency plan to take steps to control the oil spill.

“The DOE, Marine Department of Malaysia and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency are already at the location to investigate the matter and monitor it further,” it said, adding the DOE would investigate the offence of polluting territorial waters under Section 27 of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

The media had previously reported that the Johor DOE instructed the owners of the ships to post a total of RM5 million bond for both vessels.

Chemroad Mega, an oil and chemical tanker registered in Panama, was built in 2000, while Sinica Graeca is a bulk carrier built in 2015 and registered in the Marshall Islands.

- Bernama