SINGAPORE: Oil has washed up along the coast of several beaches in Singapore, including those on Sentosa island and in East Coast Park, a day after a dredger hit a bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal.
Oil was seen on Saturday (Jun 15) at Sentosa's beaches at Palawan, Siloso and Tanjong, as well as at Sentosa Cove which is home to several condominiums.
Visitors to Sentosa will be allowed to use the beaches on the resort island, but swimming and sea activities will be prohibited for the time being to facilitate an oil spill clean-up, said a spokesperson from Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).
An oil boom on Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
Oil-covered rocks on Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
The oil slick had spread from a spillage that occurred on Friday at Pasir Panjang Terminal, which is on the mainland several kilometres west of Sentosa island.
A Netherlands-flagged dredger hit a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel at about 2.20pm, causing some oil from the damaged cargo tank on board the vessel to spill into the water.
"Sixteen oil spill response craft have been deployed to continue spraying oil dispersants and to collect the oil slicks on the water surface," the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Saturday.
SDC said it was first alerted to instances of oil spillage in the waters around Palawan Beach at 9pm on Friday. At 7am on Saturday, the oil slick had spread to the other beaches.
"We have since stopped all beach activities in and along the waters of our beaches, and have commenced a clean-up immediately, alongside MPA and relevant authorities," said SDC, adding that its priority was to minimise the impact on Sentosa's waters and surrounding wildlife.
An oil slick covers much of Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Saturday morning, Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
A float on Sentosa's Tanjong Beach is covered in oil on Saturday morning, Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
An oil slick covers much of Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Saturday morning, Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Residents in Sentosa Cove have also volunteered to help with the clean-up operations, said SDC.
When CNA visited Tanjong Beach at midday, workers were seen cleaning up the spill. A long, white oil boom, covered in oil, had been placed along the beach.
A visitor walking her dog earlier in the morning told CNA that the stench was "unbelievable", a sentiment echoed by another beachgoer in the afternoon.
"The first thing that I noticed was the smell; it smells like a petrol kiosk," said Mr Nigel Kong, 25.
"On a normal weekend, (one side of the beach) will be filled with volleyball courts and frisbee courts. Usually, when we’re hot, we go down to the waters. But with this oil spill, we can’t really do it."
At East Coast Park, black residue was visible along the beach. There was a stench of oil in the air.
“It didn’t really hit until we came to the beach area. The smell is a bit disconcerting,” said Mr Sufian Ali, who was not aware of the oil spill before arriving at the park.
Oil washed up along a section of East Coast Park on Jun 15, 2024, after a vessel hit a bunker the day before at Pasir Panjang Terminal. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)
Oil washed up along a section of East Coast Park on Jun 15, 2024, after a vessel hit a bunker the day before at Pasir Panjang Terminal. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)
While the park was still relatively crowded with cyclists, joggers and beachgoers, there was still a handful of people in the water along some stretches of beach.
Particularly affected was the coastline along area C of the park, with large patches of oil collecting near the breakwaters.
A park visitor who only wanted to be known as Mr Woo said he told his two children to stay away from the water.
“It’s like being at the petrol station,” added his wife.
Oil was also seen in the water at Labrador Park, with a boom stretched between the jetty and the coast to try and stop the spread of oil.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee advised members of the public to stay away as the fumes are strong.
"NParks colleagues are deploying booms to protect the rocky shores from more of the oil spill. We are keeping a close watch," he wrote on Facebook during a visit to Labrador Nature Reserve.
Workers setting up a oil boom during clean-up operations at Labrador Park on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Workers setting up an oil boom during clean-up operations at Labrador Park on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Oil seen in the water at Labrador Park on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Mr Lee later visited West Coast Park where authorities are taking precautionary measures even though it has not been hit by the oil spill.
"Booms have been emplaced in the canals that feed the mangrove as a precautionary measure," he said.
Closer to Sentosa, the spillage appears to have affected Caribbean at Keppel Bay, a condominium near VivoCity mall on the mainland.
An oil sheen was seen in a canal at the condominium, with a resident telling CNA the area smelled like petrol.
In a message to residents, the condominium management said "surfactant spraying in nearby waters this morning appears to have reduced the severity of the impact on our canals".
Oil sheen at Caribbean at Keppel Bay, a condominium located across Sentosa, on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA)
Oil sheen at Caribbean at Keppel Bay, a condominium located across Sentosa, on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA)
MPA said on Saturday afternoon that there is no impact on navigational traffic.
"Berthing operations at Pasir Panjang Terminal remain unaffected," it added.
The agency first announced the incident in a statement at about 6pm on Friday, saying the affected cargo tank had been isolated and the spill "contained". It added that the clean-up operation is in progress.
Additional reporting by Matthew Mohan and Syamil Sapari
If you would like to send in information, photos or videos about something newsworthy, submit your news tips on CNA Eyewitness or on WhatsApp.
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Oil was seen on Saturday (Jun 15) at Sentosa's beaches at Palawan, Siloso and Tanjong, as well as at Sentosa Cove which is home to several condominiums.
Visitors to Sentosa will be allowed to use the beaches on the resort island, but swimming and sea activities will be prohibited for the time being to facilitate an oil spill clean-up, said a spokesperson from Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).
An oil boom on Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
Oil-covered rocks on Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
The oil slick had spread from a spillage that occurred on Friday at Pasir Panjang Terminal, which is on the mainland several kilometres west of Sentosa island.
A Netherlands-flagged dredger hit a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel at about 2.20pm, causing some oil from the damaged cargo tank on board the vessel to spill into the water.
"Sixteen oil spill response craft have been deployed to continue spraying oil dispersants and to collect the oil slicks on the water surface," the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Saturday.
SDC said it was first alerted to instances of oil spillage in the waters around Palawan Beach at 9pm on Friday. At 7am on Saturday, the oil slick had spread to the other beaches.
"We have since stopped all beach activities in and along the waters of our beaches, and have commenced a clean-up immediately, alongside MPA and relevant authorities," said SDC, adding that its priority was to minimise the impact on Sentosa's waters and surrounding wildlife.
An oil slick covers much of Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Saturday morning, Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
A float on Sentosa's Tanjong Beach is covered in oil on Saturday morning, Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
An oil slick covers much of Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on Saturday morning, Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Residents in Sentosa Cove have also volunteered to help with the clean-up operations, said SDC.
When CNA visited Tanjong Beach at midday, workers were seen cleaning up the spill. A long, white oil boom, covered in oil, had been placed along the beach.
A visitor walking her dog earlier in the morning told CNA that the stench was "unbelievable", a sentiment echoed by another beachgoer in the afternoon.
"The first thing that I noticed was the smell; it smells like a petrol kiosk," said Mr Nigel Kong, 25.
"On a normal weekend, (one side of the beach) will be filled with volleyball courts and frisbee courts. Usually, when we’re hot, we go down to the waters. But with this oil spill, we can’t really do it."
BEACHES AT EAST COAST, LABRADOR PARK AFFECTED
At East Coast Park, black residue was visible along the beach. There was a stench of oil in the air.
“It didn’t really hit until we came to the beach area. The smell is a bit disconcerting,” said Mr Sufian Ali, who was not aware of the oil spill before arriving at the park.
Oil washed up along a section of East Coast Park on Jun 15, 2024, after a vessel hit a bunker the day before at Pasir Panjang Terminal. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)
Oil washed up along a section of East Coast Park on Jun 15, 2024, after a vessel hit a bunker the day before at Pasir Panjang Terminal. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)
While the park was still relatively crowded with cyclists, joggers and beachgoers, there was still a handful of people in the water along some stretches of beach.
Particularly affected was the coastline along area C of the park, with large patches of oil collecting near the breakwaters.
A park visitor who only wanted to be known as Mr Woo said he told his two children to stay away from the water.
“It’s like being at the petrol station,” added his wife.
Oil was also seen in the water at Labrador Park, with a boom stretched between the jetty and the coast to try and stop the spread of oil.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee advised members of the public to stay away as the fumes are strong.
"NParks colleagues are deploying booms to protect the rocky shores from more of the oil spill. We are keeping a close watch," he wrote on Facebook during a visit to Labrador Nature Reserve.
Workers setting up a oil boom during clean-up operations at Labrador Park on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Workers setting up an oil boom during clean-up operations at Labrador Park on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Oil seen in the water at Labrador Park on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA reader)
Mr Lee later visited West Coast Park where authorities are taking precautionary measures even though it has not been hit by the oil spill.
"Booms have been emplaced in the canals that feed the mangrove as a precautionary measure," he said.
Closer to Sentosa, the spillage appears to have affected Caribbean at Keppel Bay, a condominium near VivoCity mall on the mainland.
An oil sheen was seen in a canal at the condominium, with a resident telling CNA the area smelled like petrol.
In a message to residents, the condominium management said "surfactant spraying in nearby waters this morning appears to have reduced the severity of the impact on our canals".
Oil sheen at Caribbean at Keppel Bay, a condominium located across Sentosa, on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA)
Oil sheen at Caribbean at Keppel Bay, a condominium located across Sentosa, on Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: CNA)
MPA said on Saturday afternoon that there is no impact on navigational traffic.
"Berthing operations at Pasir Panjang Terminal remain unaffected," it added.
The agency first announced the incident in a statement at about 6pm on Friday, saying the affected cargo tank had been isolated and the spill "contained". It added that the clean-up operation is in progress.
Additional reporting by Matthew Mohan and Syamil Sapari
If you would like to send in information, photos or videos about something newsworthy, submit your news tips on CNA Eyewitness or on WhatsApp.
Continue reading...