"We have almost installed our heavy equipment and are waiting for a favourable tide to start transfer of oil from the tanks which are still intact on the ship," General Manager Karachi Port Trust Brigadier Iftikhar Arshad told AFP.

About 12,000 tonnes of oil spilled into the sea from the Greek-registered vessel Tasman Spirit on July 27. The leakage includes 5,000 tonnes of oil meant for propelling the tanker.

Authorities are cleaning 16 kilometers (10 miles) of beachfront littered with dead fish, turtles and mangrove seedlings.

Some 20,000 tonnes of oil was transferred from the ship in a salvage operation before it was abandoned on Wednesday as the vessel began to break up.

Arshad said a vessel, named Fair Jolly, having capacity of 8,000 tonnes of oil has been anchored alongside the marooned ship and the experts are installing generators, pipes and connecting equipment to start the operation.

"We may start this operation in some hours if the sea allows us," Arshad said.

Karachi Port Trust chief Ahmed Hayat said the vessel needed about 36 hours to transfer the oil in its tanks and shift it to the port.

"This exercise may take about ten days to complete," he said.

A Singaporean C-130 aircraft resumed its operation spraying dispersants on the polluted sea Sunday afternoon.

"So far some 6,000 litres dispersants have been sprayed since this exercise started Friday," Hayat said.

Coastal ecosystems specialist Tahir Qureshi said the authorities should contain the situation now otherwise the damage to marine life would be irreparable.

"The damage has already been done," he said.

"Millions of mangrove seedlings on our eastern coast" have been destroyed, he told AFP.

Residents of Karachi's seafront complained of severe respiratory problems caused by the oil fumes.

The ship's 25-man crew, who left the ship on Tuesday, had been ordered not to leave Karachi while the inquiries are conducted.

The crew includes five Greek nationals and 20 Philippines nationals.

TERRA.WIRE