Dubai Municipality removes nine sunken boats loaded with 820 tonnes of marine waste

Wrecks recovered in Dubai Creek clean-up

Another shipwreck is salvaged from Dubai Creek. Photo: Dubai Municipality

Nine sunken wooden boats and commercial vessels loaded with 820 tonnes of marine waste have been recovered from Dubai Creek so far this year, as part of a major clean-up drive to reduce water pollution.

Teams from Dubai Municipality said they plan to remove a further 11 abandoned boats from key waterways by the end of the next year under the eco initiative.

The campaign by the authority's waste operations department is being conducted across the emirate, with other areas targeted including Dubai Water Canal, Business Bay Canal and Jaddaf.

Dubai Municipality said 95 per cent of waste collected from deep under water would be recycled.

“Our strategy aims to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability of Dubai's marine environment,” said Saeed Abdul Rahim Safar, director of waste operations at Dubai Municipality.

"The teams will remove all canal waste that obstructs the navigational movement of boats and vessels and disrupts trade and tourism traffic.”

Dubai has towed away dozens of ships and boats in recent years as part of its commitment to enhancing the emirate's waters.

The environmental impact of debris scattered by sunken boats is an issue of global concern.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates there are three million sunken vessels abandoned in the world's oceans, with many buried deep for several decades.

The consequences of oil leaks and toxic waste drifting into waters can be devastating for marine life and hazardous for humans consuming fish exposed to dangerous chemicals.