Dubai: Dubai Municipality has added more boats to its fleet of vessels cleaning up Dubai Creek, where almost 1,160 tonnes of floating waste was recovered in 2014, officials said.
The waste was collected during routine daily operations covering around seven kilometres of the Creek from its mouth to Al Jaddaf area.
Tuesday’s official launch of four more boats brings the fleet strength to a total of 11 vessels. The boats include those for collecting large waste, small waste and containing oil spills.
Littering in the Creek attracts a Dh500 fine while causing oil leaks is punishable by a Dh3,000 fine, officials said. On average, 1.5 to 2 tonnes of floating waste was collected per day last year from the Creek.
The waterway is Dubai’s only major inlet from the Arabian Sea and has traditionally been vital to its commercial, cultural and social activities.
On Tuesday, Dubai Municipality Director-General Hussain Lootah launched the boats near the municipality headquarters along the Deira side of the Creek. Lootah said the environment and the Creek were priorities for the municipality, which continues to invest in their preservation.
A demonstration of the boats, of different sizes and specifications, also took place during the inauguration. Senior municipality officials were also present at the launch.
The vessels are UAE-made and custom-built for the municipality’s marine cleaning fleet. They conform to international standards and best practices in the marine cleaning industry, the municipality said.
The boats have belts partially immersed in the water, which roll back in like conveyor belts, carrying along any waste caught on them.
Types of boats
One model is 45 feet long with a waste load capacity of three tonnes. Another model is 50 feet long with a seven-tonne capacity for large floating waste. There is also a vessel that can patrol the coastline and the Creek with equipment and barriers to contain oil spills. For smaller waste and smaller sites, there is an 18-footer with a one-tonne capacity.
The operations will not be limited to the Creek and will cover other waterways such as Dubai Marina and future marine projects. There is also close cooperation with a special Dubai Police unit in detecting oil leaks and contaminants at offshore sites.
To offload the collected waste, the municipality operates a number of dedicated sites near the waterways, such as unloading sites near Al Jaddaf and Dubai Marina. There are also purpose-built sites to handle collected waste oil from water bodies.
