Τhe situation regarding the Salamina oil spill has improved and the clean-up operation is continuing with the same intensity, Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis said on Thursday.

Kouroumblis, who visited the coastal areas of Piraeus, was accompanied by Deputy Shipping Minister Nektarios Santorinios, the ministry?s secretary general Dionysis Kalamatianos, the head of the Coast Guard Admiral Stamatios Raptis and the Central Harbour Officer of Piraeus Konstantinos Leontaras.

The minister noted that clean-up crews have managed to seal off the submerged tanker ?Agia Zoni II? and prevent any further oil leaking into the environment, while he estimated that the oil still inside will be pumped out within the day.

"This is a very important fact because we are controlling the source of pollution," the minister said, adding that the ministry has mobilised all means available in the country to reduce the impact of this pollution.