Debris hauled out of Gazimağusa Port

SOME 120 tonnes of debris have been dredged out from Gazimağusa Port as part of the second stage of an EU-funded marine waste project.

The work, involving heavy lifting equipment, was carried out at the site where a historical wooden pier, that has yet to be rebuilt, collapsed three years ago.

In the first stage of the cleanup, around 120 tonnes of accumulated rubble was extracted from a depth of five metres.

An additional 800 pieces of 15 types of waste have now also been removed, including 52 tyres, “two of which were very large,” a 1km length of fishing line, a toilet, a metal canister and plastic bottles.

Serdar Atai, vice president and project coordinator of the Gazimağusa group Masder, pointed out that the bottom of the “entire port” requires cleaning, which he said should be done with government support.

He called on members of the public to keep the harbour’s waters “clean and protect them”.

Mr Atai said that with the “contribution of Masder, the North Cyprus Diving Centres Association and the EU’s Marine Waste Project, the collapsed pier area’s cleaning has been completed”.

He also thanked the Ports Authority for their support, Özkıraç Shipping for providing their crane and Gazimağusa

Municipality for sending a skip for waste storage.

Mr Atai revealed plans for a “rubbish hunting workshop” that will be held simultaneously with South Cyprus.

Experts from Turkey and Greece will provide “online training to fishers” and a “network between five shelters will be created,” Mr Atai said.

The initiative will be implemented in Larnaca, Ayia Napa, Laguna, Gazimağusa and Boğaz.

He continued that rubbish containers will be placed in the ports and that handbooks and bins will be distributed to fishers.

“If everyone plays their part, the ports can be kept clean,” Mr Atai added.