Ships docking at Mombasa's Old Port have been ordered removed on suspicion that they were the source of Sunday's oil spill.

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) harbour master Twalib Khamis said some of the vessels were abandoned and "occasionally released oil debris" to the sea.

He, however, said Sunday's spill was minimal and allayed fears that it could affect marine life.

Captain Khamis, in a telephone interview yesterday, said KPA's pollution control vessel, mv Fagio, managed to clear the oil.

He said the spill could have originated from the Allidina Visram harbour where several vessels are being repaired.

"We are investigating the vessels at Allidina Visram," he said.

On Sunday, the Oil Spill Mutual Aid Group response team swung into action after learning of the oil spill along the Tudor Creek.

Led by Captain Peter Birir, the KPA pollution control officer, the team cleared the oil, which posed a threat to marine life.

On July 1998, a fuel tank at the Kenya Electricity generating company-formally Kenya Power and Lighting Company at Kipevu was punctured by a moving truck and spilled over 500 tonnes of oil to the Makupa creek. The spill killed several fish and destroyed several mangrove trees around the Kibarani area and has not been replaced ever since.