Drill on chemical spill off East Coast Park

Channel NewsAsia 24 Apr 09;

SINGAPORE: Various agencies tested out emergency responses to a chemical spill in an exercise 5.5 kilometres off the coast of East Coast Park on Friday morning.

ChemSpill 2009, which simulated a collision between an oil tanker and a chemical tanker at the Eastern Anchorage, was part of this year's Singapore Maritime Week and involved 100 people from 12 agencies.

Participants of the 6th International Chemical and Oil Pollution Conference & Exhibition (ICOPCE) observed the exercise.

The drill sought to test and demonstrate Singapore's readiness to respond effectively to chemical spills at sea.

The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) organised its first such exercise in 1998, and said that such efforts are crucial because of Singapore's development as a major shipping hub.

- CNA/ir