Plans are being made to tranship the cargo of vacuum gas oil on board a tanker which has been anchored off Donegal since the death of two of its crewmen.
Weather permitting, the 59,000 gallons of gas oil will be transhipped to another tanker on Wednesday morning.
The Panamanian-registered Princess Eva is anchored in Inver Bay close to Killybegs where the bodies of the crewmen were brought after they died in a storm off the west coast.
An examination of the ship led to the discovery of a hairline fracture in its deck.
The Irish Coast Guard immediately put in place an operation to oversee the repairs to the ship and ensure that no pollution incident occurred.
The situation has been closely monitored and according to the Coast Guard there is minimal risk of spillage and extensive protective procedures have been put in place.
If the risk increases the operation will not be carried out.
A second tanker is already in the bay along with two tugs, an anti-pollution recovery vessel, four local trawlers and boom equipment - all of which are on standby to protect the shore, aqua-culture and other marine life.
Following the removal of the ship's cargo, repairs will then be carried out to the ship. The cost of the entire operation will be borne by the company which owns the Princess Eva.
