Oil spill reaches Teluk Ramunia
The Star 29 May 10;
PENGERANG: Some of the 2,000 tonnes of crude oil, which spilled into the Singapore Strait on Monday, has spread further to Teluk Ramunia.
Department of Environment (DOE) director-general Datuk Rosnani Ibarahim said patches of oil were earlier spotted at Tanjung Ayam and had now reached Teluk Ramunia.
“However, it is not a major cause for concern as only a few patches cand be seen there.
Rosnani said the (DOE) personnel were using the dispersant technique to clean up the oil patches at sea while part of the oil that had transformed into tar balls and washed ashore, was being manually collected.
“We have also installed booms to prevent the oil spill from spreading elsewhere.
“The situation is under control as DOE personnel had anticipated that the oil would spread to Malay-sian waters due to the changing sea current,” she said.
Rosnani, who was in Singapore on Thursday to meet the authorities there, said the republic’s Maritime and Port Authority had already transferred the remaining oil from the damaged tanker into one of its function tanks.
“We are confident that the situation will not worsen.
“Our department is cooperating with the Southern Region Marine Department, the Marine police and the Maritime Enforcement Agency to contain and clean up the oil in our waters,” she said.
Malaysian registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 collided with bulk carrier MV Waily in the strait, about 13km southeast of Changi East on Monday morning, causing the spill.
The Marine Police have deployed three boats to Pengerang waters to patrol the border between the Malaysian and Singaporean waters to prevent boats from going into the affected area.
