(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles’ smallest tanker ‘Seychelles Paradise’ is already off the north coast of Madagascar ready to engage in an emergency operation to prevent the spill of 10,000 cubic metres of crude oil from a ship that ran aground.

The Seychelles Petroleum Company Seypec told SNA this morning that the tanker left the port capital of Victoria in the evening of Sunday April 20 and arrived in the north of the neighbouring Indian Ocean island Wednesday April 23, at 2.30pm local time.

The operation is set to take some time as strong currents have been reported in the area that is well-known amongst tourists.

Seypec told SNA that Seychelles Paradise is ready but is awaiting the necessary procedures to be finalised.

“However due to contractual obligation with the charterer of the vessel we cannot divulge details of the operation,” said Seypec.

AFP had already reported yesterday that the plan is to pump the crude out of the distressed vessel into a ship that is arriving from the Seychelles.

The 120-metre long vessel, ‘Tromso’, which is flying the Bahamas flag, ran aground last Thursday April 17.

According to the port authority of Madagascar the vessel has bust one of its two hulls.

Seychelles Paradise is part of the Indian Ocean island’s fleet of 6 tankers.

The green tanker as it is known is based in Seychelles and undertakes offshore bunkering operation as well as the transportation of fuel and LPG gas to the second most populated island of Praslin.

Seypec noted that Seychelles Paradise has performed several operations outside Seychelles, “including the supply of fuel to an oil rig, within port limits of Mauritius in December 2013. The vessel also assisted Comoros with a fuel cargo in 2013, at a time when their supplies were short.” 

The other five tankers Seychelles Pride, Pioneer, Progress, Prelude and Patriot operate worldwide.