Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said on Tuesday that MV Wakashio still holds 2,000 tons of oil and is likely to break up, raising fears about a major ecological catastrophe.

"I heard the collection is almost over, but it is hard to tell if there is absolutely no oil left on the ship," Yoshinori Fukushima, a spokesman for Nagashiki stated.

The ship was owned by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd when it hit a reef and crashed on July 25 off the southeast coast of Mauritius. Last Friday, Jugnauth announced a state of emergency.

Oil from the sinking vessel has hit some of the most beautiful beaches on the Indian Ocean Island, threatening corals, other local wildlife and the country's tourism industry.

Former colonial ruler France said it will help Mauritius clean up, and Japan said it will send experts to help. Technical guidance is given by the International Maritime Organization.

Japan P&I Group, the only company in Japan to underwrite safety and liability (P&I) policies for ocean-going vessels and coastal vessels, said it had yet to estimate the cost of cleaning up.

Maritime Business World