Oil Spill in Singapore Pollutes Southern Coastline

BEDADU - Singaporean authorities are working hard to clean up a major oil spill that has blackened the coastline of the city-state's south, following a ship collision several days ago. On Friday, a Dutch-flagged dredger collided with a Singaporean fuel tanker anchored in the shipping strait.

According to authorities, the dredger's engine failure caused it to drift and collide with the Singaporean vessel, resulting in the rupture of the tanker's oil tank. At least half of the oil in the tank, about 400 tons, spilled into the sea, with most of it being carried onto the shore.

"The collision resulted in the rupture of one of the Marine Honour oil cargo tanks, and its contents, consisting of low sulfur fuel oil, spilled into the sea," said a joint statement from Singapore's maritime and environmental agencies.

Visitors to several beach clubs on the popular resort island of Sentosa reported that the water remains dark and oily, with a lingering smell three days after the incident. Swimming and other sea activities are currently banned on Sentosa, while some beaches nationwide are closed until further notice.

There are concerns for wildlife with reports from responders of oil-coated sea snails and other creatures. However, initial biodiversity surveys did not report major damage.

"There have been no significant impacts on observed marine biodiversity, although oil has been seen on the roots of some mangrove plants in the area," said Dr. Karenne Tun of the National Parks Board to the Straits Times newspaper.

However, volunteers involved in the cleanup effort said it may still be too early to assess its impact. "It's a good sign that we're not seeing distressed wildlife today, but we have to continue monitoring the situation. It could take time before we see the true impact of this oil spill," said Kua Kay Yaw to the newspaper.

Around 1,500 people have volunteered to assist in the cleanup, Singapore's government said. However, most of the work is being done by contracted workers, with some seen on Sentosa's sands on Sunday, digging into black heaps and collecting oil remnants from the waves.

On Monday morning, a staff member at a beach club just meters from the tourist beach said the water was still "black." "The beach is open but you can't go into the water; it's still not clean," said Siobhan Chan to the BBC.

The government said it has deployed around 1.5 km of oil-absorbing container booms near the shore and in public park waterways at East Coast Park, West Coast Park, and Labrador Nature Reserve. Operations on the water to clean up the spill also involve spraying dispersant chemicals to "break up surface oil into droplets to enhance biodegradation," according to a joint statement from authorities.

However, the treated oil could potentially be "carried by tidal currents to the coastline." Authorities said a "sheen of oil" was also detected in the waters around the protected Sisters' Islands Marine Park, which is closed to the public for the protection of coral reefs and marine life.

Singapore is a crucial shipping and refueling hub, with hundreds of vessels adorning the coastline of this city-state. ***