Jurong oil spill update: no further leaks, Indonesian navy to monitor spill

No further leakage from LPG carrier
Lim Yan Liang Straits Times 11 Sep 12;

THERE has been no further leakage of oil from the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier DL Salvia, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

But as a precautionary measure, the authorities have deployed an oil boom around the vessel, which has been at West Jurong anchorage since Sunday.

The clean-up of Sunday's nearly 60 tonne oil spill off Jurong Island is continuing, said MPA.

Yesterday, patches of treated oil were seen at reclamation sites on the western part of Jurong Island and Tuas View Extension, and at a rock bund in Sultan Shoal, which is about 700m east of Temasek Fairway, where the oil spill is concentrated.

The spill occurred when Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier Sunny Horizon collided with the Korean-registered LPG carrier, breaching the DL Salvia's bunker tank.

MPA said that it has used biodegradable oil dispersants over the past two days to break up the oil slick, and has deployed nine craft and more than 46 personnel as part of containment and clean-up efforts.

It is also working with JTC Corp and the National Environment Agency on land-based clean-up efforts.

MPA did not give a timeline for when it expects the clean-up to end.

A spokesman for the DL Salvia's local shipping agent, SJJ Marine, said the ship's crew remains on board the vessel, which is currently under MPA command.

He declined to reveal the exact volume of LPG still on the vessel, citing ongoing investigations by the authorities.

The Straits Times understands that both vessels will remain anchored until these investigations are completed.

Efforts to contain oil spill off Western Singapore continues
AsiaOne 11 Sep 12;

SINGAPORE - The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) today continued its efforts to contain and clean up the oil spill following Sunday's collision between Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier "Sunny Horizon" and Korean-registered Liquefied Petroleum Gas carrier "DL Salvia".

In a statement to the media, the authority said that some patches of treated oil were sighted today at the reclamation sites at the western part of Jurong Island and Tuas View Extension, and at a rock bund at Sultan Shoal.

Bio-degradable oil dispersants were used to break up the oil slick in the waters while a total of nine craft and more than 46 personnel were deployed as part of clean up efforts.

MPA added that there was no further spillage of bunker from "DL Salvia" and that an oil boom was deployed as a precautionary measure.

Vessel traffic in the Port of Singapore and port operations remain 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.

Indonesian navy readies ships to monitor oil spill in Singapore waters
Fadli The Jakarta Post 10 Sep 12;

The Indonesian Navy has readied several of its vessels to monitor an oil spill following a collision between two vessels in the waters off Singapore on Sunday afternoon.

The commandant of the Tanjung Pinang Naval Station (Lantamal IV), commodore Agus Heryana, said on Monday that the oil spill could pollute some parts of Indonesian waters in Batam, Bintan and Karimun.

He said that the Navy had dispatched nine warships and scores of patrol ships to the Indonesia-Singapore border to monitor the spill’s movement.

“The Navy officers will determine what next steps need to be taken after monitoring the spill,” he said.

Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier, Sunny Horizon, collided with Korean-registered liquified petroleum gas carrier, DL Salvia, about 700 meters east of Beting Sultan, next to Jurong Island, southwest of Singapore on Sunday at around 2 p.m.

Agus said that the collision had led to the spillage of some 60 metrics tons of oil, which was now heading to Indonesian waters.

“No casualties were reported during the collision. The two ships are now harbored at West Jurong Port in Singapore. The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority is running investigations into the cause of the collision,” he said.

Separately, a member of the Indonesian Fishermen Association in Riau Islands, A Nasution, said that the oil spill would definitely spell trouble for local fishermen because they must go further out to sea for fishing. He said that the oil spill would keep fish from approaching the seashore.

“It will take more than a week to clean up the oil spill. Therefore, the fishermen are now facing the threat of having fewer fish in the sea. The government must pay close attention to this problem,” Nasution said. (riz/lfr)

Oil Spill Following Collision Between "Sunny Horizon" and "DL Salvia" at Temasek Fairway - Update: 1
MPA News Release 10 Sep 12;

Efforts to contain and clean up the oil spill following the collision between Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier "Sunny Horizon" and Korean-registered Liquefied Petroleum Gas carrier "DL Salvia" continued today.

There has been no further spillage of bunker from "DL Salvia". As a precautionary measure, an oil boom has been deployed around the vessel. Bio-degradable oil dispersants were used yesterday and today to break up the oil slick in the waters. In total, 9 craft and more than 46 personnel have been deployed as part of the containment and clean up efforts.

Some patches of treated oil were sighted today at the reclamation sites at the western part of Jurong Island and Tuas View Extension, and at a rock bund at Sultan Shoal. MPA is working with JTC Corporation and the National Environment Agency on the land-based clean up efforts.

Vessel traffic in the Port of Singapore and port operations remain 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.