Oil spill in Johor reaches Singapore shores

SINGAPORE: The oil spill that occurred in Johor on Tuesday night following a collision between two vessels has reached the shores of mainland Singapore.

Parks along the north-eastern coast of Singapore, including Changi Beach Park, were affected, with black oil stains spotted on the beach and in the shallows.

On Thursday morning, National Environment Agency contractors were seen bringing up oil absorbents stained with oil onto a vessel while workers packed oil stained sand into trash bags.

Workers were also seen putting up sign boards advising people to stay away from the contaminated waters and that the beach was closed.

The Straits Times understands that Pasir Ris Park, as well as some areas in Punggol, are also affected. However, a check at the beach near Downtown East - a popular spot next to E Hub shopping mall - showed the waters there were clear.

The collision between the two vessels happened off Pasir Gudang Port in Johor on Tuesday night. The incident occurred close to midnight and left 300 tonnes of oil spillage as a result of damage to one of the vessel's bunker tanks.

On Wednesday (Jan 4), oil patches were found along the western coastlines of Pulau Ubin (OBS Jetty) and Nenas Channel, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Stephen Beng, head of the Nature Society Singapore's marine conservation group, told The Straits Times that oil spills devastate the marine environment.

"Surface oil has direct contact with intertidal coral which kills them. Deeper lying corals are impacted by lighter oil components which mix easily with the water and are often the most toxic. Heavier oils bond with sediments and often get heavy enough to sink and smother corals," he said, noting also that mangrove habitats could be adversely affected by such spills.

Pulau Ubin is home to the largest patches of mangroves in Singapore. - The Straits times/Asia News Network