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)
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