KARACHI, Aug 26: The salvagers of the broken Greek-registered oil tanker, Tasman Spirit, feared more spillage into the sea during the lighterage operation, which is in its critical stage, said the KPT sources.

It was learnt that Greek Naval architects and other salvagers had apprehended that rear portion of the ship, believed to be disintegrated from the front portion, in the harbour and sinking further into the seabed, could develop further cracks due to lighterage activities and rough sea.

In the meantime, a KPT press release on Tuesday said that under the advice of the salvagers, the oil stored in the rear portion of the ship was being transferred to its front portion, and as such it was feared that some spillage might also occur during this exercise.

At present, Pakistan Navy oil tanker PNS Gawadar and commercial barges are engaged in transferring oil from Tasman Spirit to Endeavour-II. With the latest trip, ie third trip by PNS Gawadar, so far a total of 32,000 metric tonnes of oil had been shifted from the Greek ship.

In the meantime, salvagers have arranged for another ship, ‘Sea Angel’ which has a capacity of 6,500 tonnes of oil and already left Fujerah Port for joining the critical operation.

The ‘Angel’ will be arriving on Aug 28 and is likely to make its contribution of either one or two trips, while it is assessed that about 11,000 tonnes are left with Tasman.

A KPT spokesman said that measures, including booms and skimmers and aerial spray, were in place to combat the spillage.