"We have filed a complaint against the owner of the ship to the IMO claiming initial damages," general manager of the state-run Karachi Port Trust, brigadier Iftikhar Arshad, told AFP late Monday.

The complaint calls for an initial payment of 200,000 dollars, he said adding that the authorities would submit the final claim after "full assessment" of the losses.

The ship's owners are expected to arrive here soon to negotiate with the port authorities, he said.

The Greek-registered MV Tasman Spirit owned by Messer Assimina Maritime Limited of Malta, split in two near Karachi Port, more than a fortnight after running aground on July 27.

"A representative of Assimina is already here whereas owners are expected to fly into Karachi within two or three days," Arshad said.

Pakistani authorities had so far managed to salvage one-sixth of the oil still in the tanker and efforts were underway to contain a massive oil spill off the Arabian Sea city of Karachi.

"We have so far recovered about 6,000 tonnes of oil," Arshad said earlier.

The ship has leaked 12,000 tonnes of crude since running aground, a KPT official told AFP. Last Wednesday it began breaking up and is now split in two.

When it began breaking up the tanker still had 35,000 tonnes of oil on board in two separate containers. An operation to transfer the remaining cargo began Sunday and is expected to take up to 10 days.

The spillage has destroyed young mangroves, turtles and fish along Karachi's 16 kilometer (10 mile) coastline.

The city's popular Clifton Beach has been badly polluted by the spill, triggering an exodus of residents.

Council workers have been scraping up oily sand with their hands, tractors and mechanical shovels since the weekend.

"My duty is to dredge oily sand from the beach everyday for eight hours, but it makes me scared because I don't have any mask or preventive glasses. My handkerchief is my protection," said Abdul Rehman, 15, one of about 100 workers scouring the beach.

Resident Anwar Mahmood said he has had to abandon his morning jog on the beach.

"I used to jog every day along with hundreds of men and women, boys and girls in a pleasant environment, but the beach now gives a foul stink like sewerage water," he told AFP.

"Now you can not even open your window."

Restaurants and hotels along the beach have been closed and police have barricaded roads to keep visitors away.

The oil spill was causing health complaints amongst residents and workers in the coastal area.

Doctor Qamar Manzoor said he had been receiving 30 to 35 patients daily with complaints of throat, skin and eye infections.

The authorities have closed educational facilities in the area for three days due to "environmental hazard," officials said.

TERRA.WIRE