Oil spill in Mauritius: the owner of the Japanese ship agrees to pay 8 million euros

The Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio stranded on a reef on the coast of Mauritius broke in two on August 15, 2020. Fabien Dubessay / AFP

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The Japanese owner of the ship at the origin of an oil spill off Mauritius is committed to disburse the equivalent of 8 million euros to contribute to the cleanup of the coast.

The ship struck a reef on this island in the Indian Ocean on July 25, releasing at least 1,000 tonnes of oil from its sides.

The shipowner and the Japanese government have already sent experts to assess the impact of this pollution on the corals of Mauritius.

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With our correspondent in Tokyo,

The Mitsui OSK company acknowledges having "a social responsibility" in

that it operates and which struck a reef in Mauritius.

“ 

 ,” says CEO Junichiro Ikeda.

Mitsui OSK will therefore invest the equivalent of 8 million euros over several years to clean up contaminated coasts, protect mangrove areas and corals.

And contribute to a fund to restore the local environment.

Mitsui OSK underlines that this financial assistance is separate from the requests for compensation from the authorities of Mauritius.

Their amount remains to be determined.

The owner of the vessel,

the Japanese company Nagashiki Shipping, is also aware of its responsibility in the accident.

It intends to follow up on compensation claims based on the legislation in force.

► To read also: Oil spill in Mauritius: the ecosystem in danger

The Japanese Foreign Ministry says Japan will continue to support cleanup activities on the coast of Mauritius.

Ecosystem experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency examined a dozen underwater areas near the wreckage of the Japanese ship, but found no damage to the seabed and coral reefs.

On the other hand, oil slicks have reached mangroves on the coast and risk killing plants in these protected areas.

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• Japan

• Mauritius

• Environment