16-6-2024 (SINGAPORE) Authorities in Singapore have announced the closure of beaches on three islands until further notice, as the Southeast Asian city-state grapples with the aftermath of a significant oil spill that occurred on Friday, June 14th.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday evening by the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), the National Parks Board (NParks), and the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), it was revealed that the beaches at St John’s, Lazarus, and Kusu islands would be shut down after oil slicks were spotted at the first two islands.
This move comes in addition to the previous closure of areas B to H of East Coast Park, as well as the jetty and rocky shore of Labrador Nature Reserve, which have been off-limits since Saturday.
On Sunday morning, staff from NParks, alongside volunteers from the Friends of Marine Park, visited St John’s and Lazarus islands to observe and document the impact of the oil spill in these areas.
While Sentosa’s beaches remain open to the public, sea activities and swimming are still prohibited at Tanjong, Palawan, and Siloso beaches as a precautionary measure.
As of 1:30 pm on Sunday, no signs of oil slicks were detected within Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, although oil sheen was visible in the surrounding waters.
The oil spill occurred on Friday at around 2:20 pm when the dredger Vox Mariner collided with the stationary bunker vessel Marine Honour at Pasir Panjang Terminal. The collision caused oil from a cargo tank on the bunker vessel to spill into the water, leading to the subsequent contamination of various coastlines.
The MPA is currently working with British Marine, the insurer of the stationary tanker, to establish a contact point for third-party claims by “affected parties who have been impacted” by the spill.
