"On the 25th of July 2020 your ship, the MV Wakashio struck a beautiful and irreplaceable coral reef on Mauritius’ southeast coast. On the 9th August you publicly expressed an apology for the environmental disaster that has been caused, but many unanswered questions remain. Why was your vessel sailing so dangerously close to the reef? Why have you done so little since the ship ran aground? What will you do to reduce the damage to the environment, and the pain and suffering of those whose livelihoods depend on it?" started the letter of Greenpeace.

The leak will have a catastrophic effect on the extremely rich ecosystem of the local region.

The area is home to a large variety of rare and endangered species, including the only remaining patch of Mauritian dry coastal forest in the world.

The fuel spill also affects the Mahébourg fishing area, which lies only a few miles north of the grounded freighter.

"As you know, the oil in your ship started to leak on 6 August and it is destroying one of the most beautiful places in the world, along with the livelihoods of the people who live there. Your ship has created an environmental crisis and put the biodiversity within the lagoons at significant risk, including the mangrove forests and many unique and endangered species. Thousands of local people are battling night and day to try to contain the damage your ship is causing to their homelands and livelihoods. Furthermore, the world is watching, and we are watching," Greenpeace added.

The non-governmental environmental organization also demanded on Japanese shipping companies to fully implement the Polluter Pays Principle; to initiate and fund a fully public, independent investigation; to undertake to stop using this route and to stop using fossil fuels as soon as possible.

You can read the full letter here: https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/publications/11934/mauritius-oil-disaster-open-letter/

Maritime Business World