Tokyo: The Japanese operator of a ship that leaked oil off the Mauritius coast pledged Friday to pay at least $9.4 million to help restore areas affected by the spill.
Mitsui OSK Lines said in a statement that it planned “to contribute a total fund of about one billion Japanese yen over several years to support measures” to restore the marine environment.
The measures include running mangrove and coral protection projects in partnership with experts and local NGOs, and setting up an environment recovery fund, it said.
The company operates the MV Wakashio, which ran aground on July 25 off the coast of Mauritius, carrying 4,000 tonnes of fuel that began seeping into the island nation’s pristine, coral-filled waters.
