A Supreme Court environmental panel, which has been investigating plans for the asbestos-laden aircraft carrier Clemenceau to be scrapped at a ship-breaking yard in western Gujarat state, needed time to reach a final recommendation, the official told reporters.

A two-judge bench of the court ordered that the ship not enter India's exclusive economic zone before February 13 when they will make their final ruling.

The court's panel would next meet on January 20 and was told to have its report ready by February 13, the official said.

On Sunday, Egypt approved the transit through the Suez Canal of the asbestos-insulated Clemenceau after it had been stranded for three days off the coast pending a green light from the Egyptian authorities.

Egypt's environment ministry said documents provided by Paris proved the Clemencau did not fall under the 1989 Basel convention banning the export of toxic waste.

The Clemenceau -- the former pride of the French navy -- left the France's Mediterranean port of Toulon on December 31.

Two protestors from the environmental watchdog Greenpeace boarded the 40-year-old ship off the coast of Egypt on Thursday, claiming the Clemenceau's asbestos insulation posed a health and environmental threat.

Greenpeace has been fighting to block the ship's transfer for months, arguing that Indian shipyard workers will be at risk of asbestos poisoning.

According to the French government, the vessel is carrying 45 tonnes of asbestos insulation. According to the firm that helped partially decontaminate it before the trip, the amount is between 500 and 1,000 tonnes.

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