Dinghy owners in Morobe warned to register boats

By PISAI GUMAR

MOROBE dinghy owners have been warned to register their boats with identification numbers before travelling to and from Northern because Northern currently implements the National Maritime Safety Authority Small Craft Act while Morobe does not.
Boats which fail to comply with the Act without a registration certificate and boat number, including operator and crew permit licences, would be impounded and the owners charged.
Northern maritime acting registrar Allan Wala said after an awareness programme in December and the issue of a circular on April 30, that the Act was implemented on May 30, focusing on overloading.
Wala said all 19-foot (6m) dinghies were allowed to carry 20 white bags, while 23ft (7m) and 24ft (7.3m) were allowed 28 white bags. For clear bails, 19ft were allowed to carry 30 while 23ft and 24ft were allowed 45.
Huon Gulf district small craft association chairman Reuben Elaing said 13 boats in the district had been registered with the association, which is in the process of registering with Investment Promotion Authority.
“All dinghies in Morobe waters are yet to register with the provincial registrar’s office due to the provincial government’s inability to fund its functions,” Elaing said.
Hed said the authority would issue boat registration certificate and number, operator and crew permit licences and safety accessories.