A high-level expert team from the Union shipping ministry would visit Paradeep Port on Saturday to ascertain the cause of sinking of MV Black Rose.
The expert team would also hold talks with the authorities of the Paradeep Port Trust (PPT) on ways to retrieve oil from the said vessel so as to prevent marine pollution.
The authorities of PPT had sought the intervention of the Union shipping ministry as the oil spill from the vessel posed threat to shipping operations and most importantly marine species, particularly the Olive Ridley turtles.
MV Black Rose which capsized on September 9 this year was loaded with 23,847 tonnes of iron ore fines, 924 tonnes of furnace oil, 50 tonnes of diesel and 40 tonnes of grease.
The expert team comprises P Mohan, director general of shipping and LK Panda principal officer of Marine and Mercantile department.
The meeting of the National Shipping Board (NSB) would also be held in Paradeep on Saturday. The meeting involving officials of NSB and PPT would centre on evacuation of oil from the vessel. Earlier, Dillip Kumar Behera, senior scientist of the Orissa State Polllution Control Board (OSPCB) had said that oil spill from the sunken vessel has been confirmed but the leakage was low and no marine pollution was observed.
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However, he had warned that large scale oil spill from the sunken vessel can not be ruled out.
OSPCB had directed the PPT authorities and Indian Coast Guard to take precautionary measures to check environmental and marine pollution.
The pollution watchdog had also requested the state government and the Centre to take immediate steps to retrieve oil from sunken vessel.