Dredging boat reported sudden loss in engine and steering control before hitting bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal
Port operations are unaffected; MPA is working with insurer to attend to affected parties
THE Netherlands-flagged dredging boat that hit the stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour at Pasir Panjang Terminal on Friday (Jun 14) had reported a “sudden loss in engine and steering control” prior to the allision, four government agencies said in a joint media statement on Sunday night.
“The allision caused a rupture of one of the Marine Honour’s oil cargo tanks, and its contents of low-sulphur fuel oil were released (into) the sea,” said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the National Environment Agency, the National Parks Board (NParks), and Sentosa Development Corporation.
Investigations by the MPA are ongoing. The master of the Netherlands-flagged vessel and its crew are currently assisting in investigations.
In response to the incident, MPA patrol craft were immediately activated and deployed to spray dispersants on the spill. Its oil spill response contractor was also activated, with an oil skimmer mobilised to reduce the spill’s impact.
Booms, which are temporary floating barriers, were also laid around the vessels as an “added precaution in case of further leaks from the vessel”, the statement said.
It added: “Due to the tidal currents, parts of the oil spillage have landed along the southern shorelines including Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, Southern Islands, Marina South Pier, and East Coast Park.”
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MPA is working with British Marine, the insurer of Marine Honour, to set up third-party claims contact to attend to affected parties.
The statement added that as at 1.30 pm on Jun 16, there were no signs of oil slick within Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, but oil sheen was observed in the surrounding waters.
To facilitate clean-up efforts, the following beaches will be closed until further notice:
- Beaches at East Coast Park (from areas B to H)
- Labrador Nature Reserve (jetty and rocky shore)
- Sentosa (its beaches remain open to the public, but sea activities and swimming are not allowed at Tanjong, Palawan and Siloso beaches)
- Beaches at St John’s, Lazarus, and Kusu islands
The public is advised to keep away from these areas to facilitate the clean-up operations. All other areas at both East Coast Park and Labrador Nature Reserve, including food and beverage outlets, remain open, said the statement.
NParks has also deployed oil absorbent booms to protect Berlayer Creek and the rocky shore at Labrador Nature Reserve.
“While West Coast Park is not affected, oil absorbent booms have also been deployed (there) to protect the mangroves at the marsh garden,” said the statement.
Nearly 1,500 m of containment booms have been progressively deployed since last Friday, at various locations including the three beaches at Sentosa, the entrance of Keppel Marina, off Labrador Nature Reserve, East Coast Park and West Coast Park.
Another 1,600 m of booms will be laid over the next few days to prevent the oil from spreading further onto shore.
Oil recovery efforts at sea are progressing with Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) supporting the clean-up efforts. OSRL is the largest international industry-funded cooperative providing oil spill response services.
As at 1.30 pm on Jun 16, “no oil slick has been reported in the traffic separation scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Strait. Navigation traffic in the TSS remains unaffected. Port operations are unaffected”, the joint statement said.
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