Singapore oil spill clean-up

In its collision with chemical tanker Lime Galaxy, containership Feihe spilled around 280 tonnes of fuel oil, while containership NYK Themis spilled around 400 tonnes of fuel oil when it collided with barge AZ Fuzhou.

Initially, containment booms were used to contain and prevent the oil patches from hitting the coastlines and approved oil dispersants were used to break up the oil patches into smaller globules.

So far, a total of 40 craft, two skimmers, two harbour busters, more than 1,000m of containment boom and more than 400 personnel have been deployed by MPA and oil response companies.

The MPA says the clean-up efforts have resulted in significant improvements to Singapore’s port waters, except for minor oil patches in the vicinity of the Southern Islands, and a few patches of oil at Pulau Seringat shoreline, which are being removed by response craft.

Since 3 February 2014, no oil patches have been reported in the waters. MPA will continue to monitor the waters closely and carry out any necessary clean up, while the National Environment Agency (NEA) will continue to monitor the waters and beaches of Kusu and St John’s Islands.