Oil spill off Singapore after ships collide

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http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/05/25/oil-spill-off-singapore-after-vessels-collide/

By Angela Lim – May 25th, 2010 (below extracted from yahoo news)

Emergency teams scramble to contain nearly 2,000 tonnes of crude oil that leaked into the Singapore Strait after two vessels collided in the busy waterway, according to port officials.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reveals that the Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 has been damaged in a collision with a bulk carrier MV Wally registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency, the collision tore a 10-metre gash in the Malaysian tanker.

The tanker’s operators, Malaysia-based AET, said in a statement, “Oil booms are being placed around the leaked cargo to contain the spill.”

Nobody was injured in the accident and ship traffic in the area has not been affected by the incident that took place 13 km off Singapore in the Traffic Separation Scheme at 6.10am Tuesday, according to the release.

The Traffic Separation Scheme is a commercial channel that runs along the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

In the aftermath of the accident, both vessels were anchored off Singapore and neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia have been notified.

Salvage operators interviewed said that the spill could be damaging for the environment but a swift response by the authorities would significantly lessen the impact.

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http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_531559.html

A DAWN collision between two large vessels sent some 2,500 tonnes of crude oil spilling into the waters off Changi yesterday morning, causing fish farmers there to brace themselves for possible damage.

The amount of oil spilled was more than enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool and soon spread into a slick measuring 4 sq km.

The huge slick was about 6km from Singapore shores last night and could hit Changi beaches by today if clean-up efforts prove futile.

Some 85 personnel in 20 vessels, including five from the Malaysian authorities, have been mobilised to prevent that from happening, and are bringing chemical dispersants and containment booms to bear in the fight.

About 200 others are on standby in case oil hits the shore.

The 51 fish farms off Changi have been provided with heavy canvas skirting for their nets to prevent oil from seeping in and killing the fish within.

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http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2010/05/oil-spill-off-changi-east-singapore.html

Oil spill off Changi East: Singapore reports

Oil spill off Changi coast

Sujin Thomas & Amresh Gunasingham, Straits Times 26 May 10;

A DAWN collision between two large vessels sent some 2,500 tonnes of crude oil spilling into the waters off Changi yesterday morning, causing fish farmers there to brace themselves for possible damage.

The amount of oil spilled was more than enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool and soon spread into a slick measuring 4 sq km.

The huge slick was about 6km from Singapore shores last night and could hit Changi beaches by today if clean-up efforts prove futile.

Some 85 personnel in 20 vessels, including five from the Malaysian authorities, have been mobilised to prevent that from happening, and are bringing chemical dispersants and containment booms to bear in the fight.

About 200 others are on standby in case oil hits the shore.

The 51 fish farms off Changi have been provided with heavy canvas skirting for their nets to prevent oil from seeping in and killing the fish within.

Meanwhile, residents in several parts of the East Coast complained that the air reeked of oil fumes and fretted about possible ill-effects to their health.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the National Environment Agency said in a joint statement that the smell could have been caused by oil which had evaporated. But there was no cause for alarm, they said, as no toxic chemicals were detected in the air.

The collision took place at about 6am yesterday, the MPA said. The vessels involved, the Malaysian-owned tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 and the St Vincents and The Grenadines-registered bulk carrier MV Waily, crashed into each other in the Singapore Strait, about 13km from Changi's shore.

The Bunga Kelana 3, which had left a port in Bintulu, Sarawak, earlier in the morning and was headed for Malacca, suffered damage to one of its cargo tanks. The light crude oil in the tank then leaked into the sea. The Straits Times understands the tank was not filled to capacity.

The Waily was heading towards the south of Johor and was carrying minerals.

The ships involved are in no danger of sinking. There are also no reports of injuries to the crew of either vessel, all of whom are foreigners.

The MPA dispatched four patrol and emergency response craft to the area immediately after being notified of the collision. Other vessels were sent later as the extent of the spill became known.

One of the companies involved in the clean-up, Jurong-based Oil Spill Response, told The Straits Times it was activated by MPA at about 1.30pm. It dispatched a vessel carrying five men equipped with dispersant sprays to break the crude oil into small biodegradable droplets. These are later pumped out or skimmed from the water's surface.

The company's operations manager, Mr Ho Yew Weng, said: 'The oil is very light, and with the heat...I'm sure a lot of it would have evaporated.'

Other measures to contain the spill include the deployment of 1,500m of heavy canvas containment booms.

Experts such as Professor Chou Loke Ming from the National University of Singapore are monitoring the spill to see if there is an impact on the shoreline.

If containment fails, Prof Chou said, the oil could foul Singapore shores within a day. 'It will depend on the hydrological conditions at the time, such as the prevailing direction and strength of the wind and tides.'

However, he added that any environmental damage is unlikely to be significant as the area is largely made up of reclaimed land, sea walls and canals.

The worst oil spill incident in Singapore waters occurred in 1997, when 25,000 tonnes of oil spewed into the sea after a collision between a Very Large Crude Carrier and an oil tanker.

Scramble to contain oil spill after ships collide

200 on standby to clean up the coast if need be

Hetty Musfirah Today Online 26 May 10;

SINGAPORE - Something was not smelling right between noon and 3pm yesterday to people in the business district and the port at Tanjong Pagar.

Like some residents in the East who called the MediaCorp hotline said there was a kerosene-like smell in the air.

He could also smell smoke, said Mr Yow from Marina Bay who called the hotline at 1.45pm.

Two ships - a Malaysian registered oil tanker and a St Vincents and The Grenadines-registered bulk carrier - had collided in the commercial stretch of the Singapore Strait just 13km off Changi.

The accident happened just after 6am.

The tanker's left cargo tank had a 10-metre gash, resulting in an oil spill which - by afternoon - covered an area of about 4km by 1km.

The kerosene-like smell that wafted to shore was due to some of the lighter portions of the oil evaporating, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The NEA did not detect any toxic chemicals in the air.

The waters around Ubin and Pasir Ris were not contaminated at press time, but the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority has given fish farm owners plastic sheets that can protect these stock to a depth of 3 metres.

Most of the fish are kept 3m below the water's surface, but farm owners felt that the spill will not cause as much damage as the plankton bloom last December.

"We are now experiencing southern winds. So, the oil spill is expected to reach the farm in two or three days.

"Fortunately, by then, the toxicity would be less and the oil would have diluted," said Mr Philip Lim, the owner of a fish farm.

Waterways Watch chairman Eugene Heng said there are concerns over the oil spill regardless of its severity.

"Even if it doesn't reach our shores, the pollution could affect marine life," he said.

It is estimated that some 2,500 tonnes of crude oil were spilled into the waters.

Containment and clean-up efforts were led by MPA, with more than 80 people on site yesterday evening.

About 20 vessels - some equipped with non-toxic and bio-degradable agents - were deployed to break up the slick.

A total of 1,500 metres of containment booms were used to stop the slick from spreading and to facilitate collection by two skimmers.

MPA is also working with AET, the operator of the tanker, the MT Bunga Kelana 3, to have 200 personnel on standby to clean up the coast should the need arise.

Operators of marinas and waterfront facilities near the area have been alerted, but a salvage expert said much of the oil would evaporate.

"It seems to be a lot but if it is light crude, it will just evaporate," said Mr Ho Yew Weng, response and projects manager of disaster management firm Oil Spill Response Singapore. The hot weather could make the crude disperse even faster.

The tanker - which was carrying almost 62,000 tonnes of crude oil - has been towed to Changi port for repairs. The MV Waily was still anchored at the collision site.

MPA said both parties involved are liable for the costs of the clean up effort.

Additional reporting by Lynda Hong and Jessica Yeo

Oil clean-up in full swing in Singapore straits

2,500t of oil spilled as tanker collides with bulk carrier

Joyce Hooi, Business Times 26 May 10;

(SINGAPORE) A flurry of activity took place in the Singapore straits yesterday, as more than 20 craft and 85 people worked to clean up an estimated 2,500 tonnes of crude oil that spilled into the sea, following a vessel collision.

A Malaysian-registered tanker the MT Bunga Kelana 3 - and a St Vincents and The Grenadines-registered bulk carrier called the MV Waily collided in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Strait of Singapore, about 13 km south-east of Changi East, at 603 am yesterday.

By afternoon, a helicopter survey by the Republic of Singapore Air Force had found an oil slick measuring four km by one km, about six km south of Changi East.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has warned marinas, sea sports centres, ferry terminals and other waterfront facilities to brace themselves for the possible impact of the oil spill.

While no crew members have been injured, one of Bunga Kelana 3's cargo tanks was damaged, leading to the oil spill. 'Oil booms are being placed around the leaked cargo to contain the spill,' AET, the operators of the MT Bunga Kelana 3 said in a statement issued yesterday afternoon.

It is working with the MPA to have 200 people on standby to clean up the Singapore coastline if needed.

According to the operator, the Bunga Kelana 3 - a 1998 double-hull crude oil aframax tanker - was reported to have been hit by the MV Waily as the former was travelling from east to west in the Strait of Singapore.

'Bunga Kelana 3 has made her way, under her own power, and is now safely anchored south of Changi East in the Singapore straits,' said AET, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysian energy logistics group MISC Berhad.

It added that the condition of MV Waily was 'stable'. It is also anchored in the Singapore straits.

'Work is ongoing to contain and clean up the oil spill,' the MPA said.

The response craft are equipped with 41 tonnes of non-toxic and bio-degradable oil spill dispersants, two skimmers with fast tanks to collect the oil and 1,500 metres of containment booms.

'Traffic in the TSS remains unaffected,' said the MPA. 'MPA's Port Operations Control Centre has issued navigational broadcasts to ships transiting the TSS to keep clear of the anchored vessels.'

'Singapore will continue to render full assistance and cooperation to the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities to contain and clean up the oil spill, in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for Joint Oil Spill Combat in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore,' said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2010/05/oil-spill-off-changi-east-malaysian.html

Oil spill off Changi East: Malaysian reports

Oil on tanker to be removed

Jassmine Shadiqe and Koi Kye Lee New Straits Times 26 May 10;

JOHOR BARU: Work is under way to transfer the remaining Bintulu light grade oil from Malaysian tanker Bunga Kelana 3, which was struck by a bulk carrier off the Singapore Strait on Tuesday, onto another vessel.

Once this is done, an assessment on the ship's underwater damage would be carried out, MT Bunga Kelana 3 owner AET Tanker Holdings Sdn Bhd said.

The tanker is currently anchored off Changi East in the Strait of Singapore and will move to another place after the assessment is completed.

MT Bunga Kelana 3 collided with bulk carrier MV Waily while travelling from east to west in the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait, 13km southeast of Changi East, at 6.03am on Tuesday.

The collision caused significant damage to the vessel's hull and resulted in a crude oil spill that is now being cleaned up by specialists in 15 boats, using 50 tonnes of dispersant and 4,000m of boom.

Cleaning efforts resumed yesterday morning with an additional 100 men deployed along the shoreline in case the spill reached the Singapore coast, AET said.

AET is also cooperating fully with the Malaysian authorities, including the Johor Department of Environment and Marine Department, who are heading the operations.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Environment, Safety and Employee Health director Associate Professor Maketab Mohamed said the oil spill would not have a massive impact on marine life as the Bintulu light grade crude oil had low petroleum poison levels.

In Kuala Lumpur, Department of Environment director-general Datuk Rosnani Ibrahim said the department, together with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Police Air Wing, conducted aerial surveillance of ground and coastal areas immediately after the collision.

So far, no oil spill has been sighted in Malaysian waters.

"However, the department will continue to monitor whether currents are carrying the spill towards Malaysia.

"We are also always in contact with our Singaporean counterparts and they have begun the cleaning process. The owner of the vessel is also involved in operations."

Rosnani said the contingency plan to clean up the oil spill had been well established.

"Resources will be mobilised as and when needed.

"For now, the department needs to constantly monitor the situation so that the spill does not reach our waters."

Containment effort keeps oil spill in Singapore waters

The Star 27 May 10;

JOHOR BARU: The oil spill in the Singapore Strait is not expected to drift into Malaysian waters.

The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority is actively cleaning the spill by sucking the oil into the empty tanks of mt Bunga Kelana 3.

The mt Bunga Kelana 3, a Malaysian-registered tanker, and the bulk carrier mv Waily, which was registered in St Vincent and The Grenadines, collided in the strait — about 13km southeast of Changi East on Monday morning — causing some 2,000 tonnes of crude oil to spill into the sea.

Johor DOE director Dr Zulkifli Abdul Rahman said the clean-up was expected to take more than a week.

“We are in constant contact with the Singapore authorities and our personnel had been put on alert,” he said when contacted by The Star here yesterday.

The Marine Police have deployed three boats to Pengerang waters for security measures.

They are expected to patrol the border between Singapore and Malaysian waters to prevent boats from going into the oil spill area.

The oil spill happened at four nautical miles off the Pengerang waters.

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http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100525-218361.html

Tanker, bulk carrier collide off Singapore, Malaysia

Tue, May 25, 2010

Reuters

SINGAPORE/KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Reuters) - A tanker and a bulk carrier collided in waters between Singapore and Malaysia on Tuesday morning, resulting in an estimated 2,000 tonnes of oil spilt, authorities from the two countries said.

Singapore is one of the world's busiest ports and a major centre of global oil trading.

Singapore port authorities said they had activated oil-spill response companies and a clean-up operation was being put in hand. They had also informed Malaysian and Indonesian authorities about the incident, and there were no reports of casualties.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the Malaysian-registered tanker, MT Bunga Kelana 3 and a bulk carrier registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the MV Waily, had collided in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Strait.

The Malaysian coast guard said the collision caused a large gash in the tanker.

"The collision caused a 10-metre (yard) tear in the left side of the tanker and 2,000 metric tonnes of crude oil has spilled into the sea where the collision occured," Commander Abdul Hadib bin Abdul Wahab told Reuters.

The tanker is carrying Bintulu light crude and condensate, said Paul Lovell, head of corporate communications at AET Tanker Holdings Sdn Bhd. AET, which owns and manages the vessel, is a wholly owned subsidiary of transport and energy company MISC Bhd, a unit of Malaysian national oil firm Petronas.

"She was carrying two types of cargo, some condensate and some very light crude, it was about 40 percent condensate and about 60 percent light crude on the vessel at the time of the incident," he said.

"It looks as though the spill would have been from the very light crude, the exact amount I can't tell you."

The spokesman could not say who owned the oil.

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29 May 2010

What is being done about the oil spill? (29 May)

"Light staining of parts of" Changi Beach between Car Parks 1 to 4 was observed as of 10am today.

Oil on Chek Jawa: Photo shared by Hang Chong on the Oil Spill Facebook Page.

More highlights from media reports today:

What is happening at Chek Jawa?

About 150m of shoreline around the boardwalk is showing patches of oil. There were no immediate signs of major damage to the Chek Jawa eco-system, but NParks is monitoring the situation closely.

Despite NParks putting up a 1km containment boom at Chek Jawa when the oil spill first occurred, oil could have gone over or under the boom because of waves and tides.

Oil absorbent booms and paddings were deployed at the parts affected yesterday. These have helped to keep the oil spill out of Chek Jawa.

Nparks says it is encouraged by the show of support from the public for Chek Jawa. Many people have asked if they could volunteer their help. However, given the fragility of the eco-system at Chek Jawa, NEA says its preference at this stage is to work with volunteers familiar with the area or those who have the necessary expertise.

NEA is also in consultation with the NUS' Raffles Museum Biodiversity Research and Tropical Marine Science Institute.

In the meantime, Chek Jawa is still open to visitors, but guided walks have been suspend in the next two weeks for the agencies to monitor the situation better.

More photos and stories about what is happening on Chek Jawa on the Manta Blog and on the Oil Spill Facebook Page.

What is happening on the East Coast?

At East Coast Park, the oil-slicked sand had been largely cleared from the 7.2km of shoreline covered earlier this week. The 19.6 tonnes of contaminated sand that was shovelled up was sent to the Semakau landfill site.

Offshore, the MPA said, the largest oil slicks were dispersed, though smaller patches remain scattered along East Coast Park, moving towards or away from the shore with the tide.

Beyond the conventional methods, MPA experimented with imbiber beads which are usually used by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to clean up chemical spills on land. Imbiber beads are spherical plastic particles that absorb organic liquids. MPA said results have been encouraging and with support from SCDF, it is deploying more imbiber beads to supplement other efforts.

from the Straits Times 29 May 10.

MPA has also deployed lightweight shallow water booms and a harbour buster to collect and contain oil patches close to East Coast Park. Harbour buster is an oil spill collection system suitable for deployment in shallow waters.

According to the NEA CEO, containment booms and other dispersal measures are helping halt the spread of oil, but these are not foolproof, "We cannot contain 100 per cent of the oil spill out in the open ocean"

He added "Thus far, the environmental impact has been minimal. We hope it will stay that way. I understand the concerns of the environmental groups. On our part right now, the first priority we have is to make sure that the areas affected by the oil patches are cleaned up so that the public can continue to make use of these places. Our first priority is of course public safety, and public use of these areas, because these are very popular recreational areas." He added that most of the clean-up should be over by the weekend.

What is happening elsewhere?

Indonesia's waters are clear of the spill and an Indonesian official said the oil spill would not affect Indonesia waters as the wind is currently blowing towards Singapore.

What caused the accident in the first place?

MPA said investigations into the accident are ongoing but early findings indicate that weather conditions were clear and traffic was light along the commercial strip at the time of collision.

Other comments in the media

In an editorial, the Straits Times said: "Environmentalists fretted about the impact on marine wildlife" adding that "environmental damage is unlikely to be significant, as the affected area is largely made up of reclaimed land, sea walls and canals." It was remarked that "the state's well-oiled systems were promptly activated to contain the effects of the spill" and spoke about how "People living in flats near highways should accept the dust and noise pollution."

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http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2010/05/oil-spill-off-changi-east-singapore_2036.html

Oil spill off Changi East: Singapore reports

Dirtied coastline: It could be worse

Straits Times editorial 29 May 10;

A REMINDER of Singapore's susceptibility to marine environmental pollution came in the form of a foul odour wafting across the East Coast Park this week. A tanker and bulk carrier had collided 13km away, spilling a reported 2,500 tonnes of light crude, some of which reached a 7km stretch along the east coast. Environmentalists fretted about the impact on marine wildlife; anglers about their opportunistic catch for dinner; and fish farmers about their commercial stock. And worse, environmental department officials predict that weekend showers might hamper clean-up efforts.

Some perspective, however, is useful to have. Singapore, by virtue of its sitting on one of the world's busiest waterways, is exposed to the unwelcome prospect of spills from tanker accidents. Put differently, there is always a price to be paid for being in such a location (besides the demonstrable economic benefits, which have been considerable). An appropriate analogy would be this: People living in flats near highways should accept the dust and noise pollution.

Singaporeans can count their blessings in that the state has the capacity to cope with pollution on a geographic scale. It need not be a helpless victim. The island's water supply has not been affected by the sticky slush washing ashore. Environmental damage is unlikely to be significant, as the affected area is largely made up of reclaimed land, sea walls and canals. And the state's well-oiled systems were promptly activated to contain the effects of the spill. The initial effort comprised 15 emergency response craft equipped with 50 tonnes of dispersant and 3,300m of containment booms. Coastal clean-up efforts have bagged nearly nine tonnes of sand dirtied by the petroleum. Few might be aware that the incident pales in comparison with Singapore's worst known oil accident in 1997, which saw 25,000 tonnes of crude discharged into the sea.

Singapore in collaboration with its littoral-state neighbours is geared for attendant risks. A revolving fund set up in 1981 can be used by Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia to combat oil pollution caused by ships. But Singapore has chosen not to draw on it, saying rather pointedly that the owners of the two vessels involved will be 'jointly and severally liable' for the cost of the recovery work. Maritime officials from the three nations have agreed to work closely to stem the effects. Navigational procedures should plainly be improved to pre-empt collisions, which sooner or later would involve much larger bulk carriers. The eventual effects of this spill are yet to be determined. But Singaporeans can take heart in that it could be worse, considering the island's location and the heavy tanker traffic.

Oil spill hits Chek Jawa, Changi Beach

It has also reached south-eastern tip of Johor, say reports

Grace Chua Straits Times 29 May 10;

OIL from Tuesday's spill has hit two more parts of Singapore's shores, including the Chek Jawa wetlands on Pulau Ubin - home to unique ecosystems and the last refuge of several plants and animals once common in the country.

The latest oil-slicked areas are north of the spill and other previously affected parts of East Coast Park, suggesting that tides and winds are pushing the slick towards Singapore's north-east.

A 700m stretch of Changi Beach was also affected, between Carpark 6 and Carpark 7, and is now closed to swimmers.

According to Malaysian press reports yesterday, the oil had also reached Teluk Ramunia on the south-eastern tip of Johor.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it was working with its Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts to address the spill, which occurred after the oil tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3, laden with 62,000 tonnes of crude oil, collided with the bulk carrier MVWaily early on Tuesday morning, 13km off Changi East.

Some 2,500 tonnes of oil leaked into the water, causing a 4 sq km slick as the tanker moved to anchor in a safe place.

Containment booms and other dispersal measures are helping halt the spread of oil, but these are not foolproof, said National Environment Agency (NEA) chief executive Andrew Tan. 'We cannot contain 100 per cent of the oil spill out in the open ocean,' Mr Tan said.

Despite the National Parks Board (NParks) putting up a 1km containment boom at Chek Jawa when the oil spill first occurred, oil could have gone over or under the boom because of waves and tides, said NParks' director of conservation, Mr Wong Tuan Wah.

There, about 150m of shoreline around the boardwalk is showing patches of oil.

About 20 people have been deployed to clean it up, including NParks and NEA staff and contractors. Environmental advocates from several groups, such as the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), plan to chip in today.

Mr Wong explained that the polluted mud has to be cleaned up before oil seeps in further, suffocating and poisoning wildlife there.

Reports of oil at the new sites emerged at 2pm yesterday; the waters at Changi Beach were still clear at lunchtime.

At East Coast Park, the oil-slicked sand had been largely cleared from the 7.2km of shoreline covered earlier this week. The 19.6 tonnes of contaminated sand that was shovelled up was sent to the Semakau landfill site.

Offshore, the MPA said, the largest oil slicks were dispersed, though smaller patches remain scattered along East Coast Park, moving towards or away from the shore with the tide.

Yesterday, more than 20 Acres volunteers combed East Coast Park, finding more than 80 oil-slicked creatures dead and alive, including jellyfish, crabs, peanut worms and starfish.

The NEA said it would assess the oil spill's impact on marine life once the clean-up is complete.

'Our main effort is returning life to normalcy so that members of the public can go back to the beaches - the safety of the public is what's most important right now,' NEA chief executive Mr Tan said.

He added that most of the clean-up should be over by the weekend.

Events at or near East Coast Park, such as tonight's Sundown Marathon, can continue as long as people do not enter the water, the NEA said.

At least one event organiser is playing it safe: an outdoor movie screening this evening, part of Family Day Out @ South East, is being moved to Sentosa's Palawan Beach instead.

Fewer flock to beach despite long weekend

Many stay away due to oil spill at East Coast Park

Teh Joo Lin Straits Times 29 May 10;

A FAMILY of eight who wanted to lunch by the sea on the first day of the long weekend went to Changi Beach but were repelled by the stench of oil.

They then drove to the East Coast Park, but the smell was there too.

Since it was more bearable, they pitched a tent and tucked into their home-cooked dishes, but still called it a day shortly after.

Before they packed up to go, Mr Krishna Supramaniam, 33, told The Straits Times: 'We are already set up here, but we will leave soon. We can feel the burning irritation, so it's best to keep away.'

The operations manager in the oil industry added that he was worried for the health of his 15-month-old niece.

Mr Krishna's was one of several families that did not linger for long at East Coast Park yesterday.

The park was still packed, but regular beachgoers and businesses there said that for a public holiday, the crowd was thinner than expected.

Swimmers also kept out of the water. Mr Wahid Parik, who works at a cycling rental shop, said there were fewer tents - he described them as 'mushrooms' - dotting the coast compared to the average public holiday.

Visitors also said parking spaces were easier to find.

The situation has affected some businesses which were hoping to capitalise on the three-day weekend.

Mr Christopher Newman, 35, water sports manager of Mana Mana, said the long weekend would have provided income that will be 'very sorely missed, just as it will be for all businesses along the coast here'.

'We'd expect it to be absolutely packed,' he said, adding that two birthday parties and a sailing class had been cancelled.

The company offers dining, water sports lessons and activities, and equipment rental. Water activities had been suspended, although the doors are still open to diners.

More serious activities also had to be relocated. Since Thursday, sailors for the Youth Olympic Games have been training in the waters off Raffles Marina. They will continue to do so until they receive clearance from the authorities.

Other events were moved. For example, South East Community Development Council's Family Day Out event will have its outdoor movie screening at Sentosa's Palawan Beach instead of East Coast Park this evening.

At watering holes such as The Beach Hut at East Coast Park, manager Annaliza Dizon said business was close to that on a typical weekday - meaning it was slow compared to public holidays.

All along the eastern coast yesterday, workers continued to shovel blackened sand into sandbags for disposal.

But the smell was bearable, said Ms Joey Toh, a 30-year-old administrative assistant whose family of about 10 members stayed on.

Bicycle and in-line skate rental shop owner William Ho agreed: 'It's not so bad today. Before, it was terrible and I had a headache the whole day.'

He claimed his business was unaffected.

Some anglers continued to fish, while at least one person was seen taking a dip in the waters despite the signs warning people not to do so.

Emerging with oil stains on his body, the swimmer, who identified himself only as Mr Lee, insisted that the water felt fine, and he was not bothered by the smell.

'I heard about the oil spill but it slipped my mind since it was such a fine day,' said the 61-year-old cleaner in Mandarin.

A 700m stretch of Changi Beach between Carpark 6 and Carpark 7 was hit by an oil slick yesterday, but other than the affected coast, the rest of the beach was packed. There was no smell of oil along the other parts of the beach when The Straits Times visited in the evening.

One angler at the affected stretch simply shifted to another area to fish.

Mr Haizal Ahmad Ali had been looking forward to fishing at the closed-off spot because his uncle had caught a stingray weighing more than 5kg there.

The 32-year-old delivery driver said: 'I wanted to try my luck there. Here, the big fish are not biting.'

Oil slick still spreading

Straits Times 29 May 10;

Patches of the oil slick from Tuesday's spill stain the sand along a beach near Changi Village yesterday. The oil has also spread to the Chek Jawa wetlands at Pulau Ubin. Some 2,500 tonnes of crude oil had spilled from a tanker damaged in a collision 13km off Changi East. Beaches remain shut to the public today - the first day of the mid-year school holidays - as emergency crews press on with the clean-up.

Oil spill spreads to Chek Jawa & Changi Beach

Joanne Chan Channel NewsAsia 28 May 10;

SINGAPORE : The oil spill caused by the collision of two vessels at sea on Tuesday has spread to Chek Jawa, a wetland off Changi Point.

Oil patches have also been spotted along a 700-metre stretch of Changi Beach between car parks 6 and 7.

Clean up operations are still underway at East Coast Park, amid concerns on the damage on coastal wildlife.

The sand at Changi Beach was coated with oil as cleanup operations continue for a fourth day.

Singapore's Chek Jawa, which is popular with nature lovers, has also been hit.

As of Friday afternoon, oil patches were spotted along a 150-metre stretch of its coastal boardwalk.

The mudflat on Pulau Ubin boasts of several different ecosystems, as well as plants and animals that are no longer common in Singapore.

Contractors and officers have been sent to Chek Jawa, as well as Changi Beach to clear the affected sand and remove the oil.

Environmental groups are concerned that the oil slick will hurt Singapore's precious coastal wildlife.

Some of the oil has made its way to the shoreline, coating the sand and the rocks.

Since Thursday, animal protection group ACRES (Animal Concerns Research And Education Society) has been hard at work - rescuing animals and releasing them back into the wild.

ACRES said it found 20 dead crabs on Thursday. It managed to rescue another three, which were cleaned and released back into the wild at Sembawang Park.

Louis Ng, executive director of ACRES said: "We've seen a lot of dead animals, especially the inter-tidal species. Those are the animals that live on the shoreline. They really have nowhere else to run to. So we're trying to rescue these animals and release them at another site.

"Again, we didn't expect it this bad as well. We thought it was something far out in the ocean, that it won't really hit the shoreline."

As with any oil slick, some damage on the environment can be expected.

Andrew Tan, CEO of National Environment Agency said: "Thus far, the environmental impact has been minimal. We hope it will stay that way. I understand the concerns of the environmental groups. On our part right now, the first priority we have is to make sure that the areas affected by the oil patches are cleaned up so that the public can continue to make use of these places.

"So our first priority is of course public safety, and public use of these areas, because these are very popular recreational areas."

The National Environment Agency said it will conduct a study on the environmental impact of the oil spill once the cleanup is completed.

As for East Coast Parkway, the National Environment Agency said the situation has stablised.

It said large patches of oil have been removed by dispersants. - CNA /ls

Tanker involved in sea collision moved to Johor anchorage

Channel NewsAsia 28 May 10;

SINGAPORE : The tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 that was involved in the collision at sea and caused an oil spill was moved from her previous location in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) to a Johor anchorage in the east on Friday afternoon.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the tanker was certified safe to be moved by the classification society, American Bureau of Shipping.

As a precautionary measure, four tugs equipped with dispersants and containment booms, and another two tugs escorted the vessel.

It arrived at the Johor anchorage safely at about 1.20pm.

MPA said containment and cleanup efforts following the collision between the MT Bunga Kelana 3 and the St Vincent and The Grenadines-registered bulk carrier, MV Waily continued for the fourth day.

Efforts in the waters off Changi East and East Coast Park are ongoing.

21 craft equipped with six skimmers and 1,915 metres of containment booms were deployed.

No significant patches of oil have been observed in the Traffic Separation Scheme off Changi East and within the anchorages of Singapore's port waters.

There are isolated patches of oil close to East Coast Park and Changi East.

Beyond the conventional methods, MPA experimented with imbiber beads which are usually used by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to clean up chemical spills on land.

Imbiber beads are spherical plastic particles that absorb organic liquids.

MPA said results have been encouraging and with support from SCDF, it is deploying more imbiber beads to supplement other efforts.

MPA has also deployed lightweight shallow water booms and a harbour buster to collect and contain oil patches close to East Coast Park.

Harbour buster is an oil spill collection system suitable for deployment in shallow waters.

MPA continues to work with the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for Joint Oil Spill Combat in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, and has offered its assistance should it be needed.

Traffic in the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait remains unaffected.

MPA said investigations into the accident are ongoing but early findings indicate that weather conditions were clear and traffic was light along the commercial strip at the time of collision.

The public can contact MPA's 24-hour Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325 2489 to report any sighting of oil slick in Singapore's waters or coastlines. - CNA /ls

Beach activities, businesses along East Coast hurt by oil spill

Joanne Chan & Evelyn Choo Channel NewsAsia 28 May 10;

SINGAPORE : The oil spill is hurting not just the environment - but businesses and activities that centre around the beach.

Sailors who want to train for upcoming races such as the Singapore Laser Trophy, Singapore National 420 Champs and Singapore National Byte Champs have been affected by the beach closures due to the oil spill.

Some of the foreign sailors arrived in Singapore early in the hopes of training in local conditions, but their boats have since been docked.

National sailors preparing for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) also had to move elsewhere.

"For them, we have shifted our training to the north. We are now at the Raffles Marina, the management there has been very kind to allow us to go over there for our training," said Edwin Low, executive director of Singapore Sailing Federation.

Low added that all physical training outdoors has been moved indoors, and gym work has shifted to the Singapore Sports Council.

Businesses are also reeling from the impact.

At the People's Association Water-Ventures Sea Sports Club, windsurfers have also been grounded.

A bicycle rental shop has lost 50 per cent of its customers.

"Of course, we've been affected. There's nobody even on a public holiday," said the bicycle rental shop operator.

He blames the fumes for his business blues.

But hawkers at the nearby food centres said the fumes were present only at the beginning and still enjoy a steady stream of customers.

It is also business as usual at Goldkist Beach Resort. The management said it has yet to receive a single cancellation of bookings since the spill. - CNA /ls

Oil spill hits Changi beach, Chek Jawa

Animal and nature lovers voice concerns

Joanne Chan Today Online 29 May 10;

SINGAPORE - Even as the authorities finished cleaning up 90 per cent of the areas in East Coast Park affected by the oil spill which first hit Singapore on Wednesday - oil patches have begun appearing on Friday in Chek Jawa - a wetland on Pulau Ubin off Changi Point.

The mudflats on Pulau Ubin boast several different ecosystems, as well as plants and animals that are no longer common in Singapore.

The news from the National Environment Agency (NEA) - along with reports by animal protection group, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), that it had seen a lot of "dead animals, especially the inter-tidal species" at the oil spill site along East Coast Park yesterday - worry nature conservationists.

Acres executive director Louis Ng said: "Those are the animals that live on the shoreline. They really have nowhere else to run to".

The good news, however, is these inter-tidal species are more hardy than mammals and birds, Mr Ng added.

Acres said sea snails, sea crabs and hermit crabs were among 80 plus animals that volunteers from the group have cleaned free of oil patches before releasing back into the sea. On Friday afternoon, the oil patches on Chek Jawa were spotted along a 150-metre stretch of its coastal boardwalk. It was the fourth day after the collision between two ships off Changi led to 2500 tonnes of crude oil being spilled into the sea.

The National Parks Board (NParks) said it is critical to clean up the oil as soon as possible to prevent seepage into the mud, as that may affect the marine organisms in Chek Jawa. Contractors and officers have been sent there as well as to clear the affected sand and remove the oil.

Conservational International Singapore managing director Landy Eng told MediaCorp the NEA has accepted its offer of 30 to 40 standby volunteers. When notified, they will pitch in when the next slick occurs.

Acres is deciding if it should put in a formal request to the NEA, while Nature Society Singapore president Shawn Lum said it would be "happy to assist the authorities if asked".

Acres and Wild Singapore have also started to informally divide which areas to focus on.

NEA chief executive officer Andrew Tan told MediaCorp, "Thus far, the environmental impact has been minimal. We hope it'll stay that way."

He said NEA's first priority is to clean up the areas affected by oil patches for "public safety and public use" as these are very popular recreational areas.

It will conduct a study on the environmental impact of the oil spill once the cleanup is completed.

To date, NEA and the ship operator AET have mobilised over 245 workers to clean up the oil on the affected beaches and 14 NEA officers are continuing with surveillance at East Coast Park, Changi Beach and Pulau Ubin. As of Friday, 19.6 tonnes of sand contaminated with oil have collected from the beaches at East Coast Park and disposed off at the Semakau Offshore Landfill.

Water activities marred by oil slick ...

But sunseekers pack Singapore's beaches, seaside eateries for the public holiday

Esther Ng Today Online 29 May 10;

SINGAPORE - Watersport training and activities at the East Coast have come to a sticky halt because of the oil spill.

Some 200 sailors, including a few from overseas, who were set to take part in three races next week have not been able to take their boats out.

They were to have been training for the Singapore Laser Trophy, Singapore National 420 Champs and the Singapore National Byte Champs races.

National sailors preparing for the Youth Olympic Games have moved north to Raffles Marina, said Singapore Sailing Federation executive director Edwin Low.

Outdoor physical training have moved indoors, and gym work has shifted from the National Sailing Centre to the Singapore Sports Council.

Windsurfers at the People's Association Water-Venture Sea Sports Club have also been grounded, according to PA Water-Venture business development head Christopher Beh.

Some businesses also continued to take a hit. "There's nobody, even on a public holiday," said the owner of a bicycle rental shop, who did not give his name.

But hawkers at the nearby food centres said they were enjoying a steady stream of customers It was also business as usual at Goldkist Beach Resort which has yet to receive any cancellation.

There was a sizeable crowd at Sentosa's Palawan and Siloso beaches yesterday,

But only three groups of people, out of the 31 that MediaCorp spoke to, said the oil slick made them ditch their usual East Coast Park haunt.

Soybean seller John Tan, 38, said: "I heard about the smell and decided to bring my family to Sentosa instead."

At Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), the casino and the theme park were teeming with people - not because of the oil spill - but because of the Vesak Day public holiday.

RWS' basement car park was full at 4pm. A taxi driver who called the MediaCorp hotline said the queue of cars extended all the way to Keppel Road. Joanne Chan, Esther Ng And Zhao Quan Yin

Collision between MT Bunga Kelana 3 and MV Waily in the Singapore Strait - Update 5

MPA media release 28 May 10;

Containment and clean up efforts following the collision between the Malaysian-registered tanker, MT Bunga Kelana 3 and the St Vincent and The Grenadines-registered bulk carrier, MV Waily continued for the fourth day.

Efforts in the waters off Changi East and East Coast Park are ongoing, with 21 craft equipped with 6 skimmers and 1,915 metres of containment booms deployed. The seaward efforts involved 171 personnel.

No significant patches of oil have been observed in the Traffic Separation Scheme off Changi East and within the anchorages of Singapore's port waters. There are isolated patches of oil close to East Coast Park and Changi East and we are working to contain and clean up these patches.

This morning, MT Bunga Kelana 3 was moved from her previous location in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) to a Johor anchorage in the east. This was after she was certified safe to be moved by the classification society, American Bureau of Shipping. As a precautionary measure, 4 tugs equipped with dispersants and containment booms and 2 further tugs to assist in navigation were deployed to escort the vessel. MT Bunga Kelana 3 arrived at the Johor anchorage safely at about 1:20pm.

Beyond the conventional methods, MPA experimented with imbiber beads which are usually used by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to clean up chemical spills on land. Imbiber beads are spherical plastic particles that absorb organic liquids.Results thus far have been encouraging and with support from SCDF, we are deploying more imbiber beads to supplement other efforts.

MPA has also deployed lightweight shallow water booms and a harbour buster to collect and contain oil patches close to East Coast Park. Harbour buster is an oil spill collection system suitable for deployment in shallow waters.

MPA continues to work with the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for Joint Oil Spill Combat in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore and has offered our assistance should it be needed.

Traffic in the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait remains unaffected.

Members of the public can contact MPA's 24-hours Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325 2489 to report any sighting of oil slick in our waters or coastlines.

Further details will be released when available.

End of release

ISSUED BY THE MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (MPA)

[Copperband]

a main concern is those hobbyist using NSW (natural seawater) .... what are your contingencies due to this incident?

[CFOh]

a main concern is those hobbyist using NSW (natural seawater) .... what are your contingencies due to this incident?

Ya... agree.. all NSW user must take note....

Latest news on May 31

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100527/tap-singapore-oil-pollution-maritime-tra-06f3cb7.html

Singapore oil slick reaches Malaysian waters

AFP

AFP - Monday, May 31

Singapore oil slick reaches Malaysian waters

SINGAPORE (AFP) - – An oil slick that closed public beaches on Singapore's eastern coastline has been mostly contained but patches have drifted into Malaysian waters, officials said.

"Efforts to contain and clean up http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=post&section=post&do=reply_post&f=11&t=88909&qpid=914919#the oil spill have been positive," the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in its latest press release, issued Sunday evening.

"As of this afternoon, no oil slick was reported in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) off Changi East or within the anchorages of Singapores port waters," the MPA added.

However, oil from the slick had been spotted in Malaysian waters, it said, without giving details about the size of the slick.

"Further patches of oil slick were observed today in Malaysian waters and in the TSS to the east of Singapore by passing ships and aircraft," the MPA said.

"MPA has informed our Malaysian counterparts of the observations and have offered our assistance," MPA said.

On Saturday, the MPA said that oil had been sighted off Tanjong Pengelih, in southern Malaysia, and east of Singapore's Changi Beach.

No "significant patches" have been observed off Changi itself or within Singapore's port waters, the MPA said.

The spill came from the Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3, which was carrying nearly 62,000 tonnes of crude when it collided off Singapore Tuesday with the MV Waily, a bulk carrier registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

About 2,500 tonnes of crude leaked from a gash in the double-hulled tanker but most of it was contained at sea, according to the MPA.

Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) said in its latest update that emergency crews had cleaned up oil at two beaches on the city state's eastern coastline.

"East Coast Beach and Changi Beach have been cleared of oil stains. No oil patches are visible at sea from the two beaches," it said in a press statement issued Sunday evening.

The beaches, closed since Thursday, would remain off-limits to the public, pending checks on the water quality, the NEA said.

The agency added that cleaning efforts at the vulnerable natural reserve at Chek Jawa was also almost complete.

"At Chek Jawa, 98 percent of cleaning is complete. Only small patches of oil film are visible on the water surface," the agency said.