Singapore: A day after the Oil Spill Incident which resulted in 400 tonnes of fuel leaking into the sea from a damaged bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal, over 71,000kg of oil-soaked sand has been scooped up at the three Sentosa beaches since June 15th.
Sustainability and the Environment Minister Grace Fu said In a Facebook post on June 20th that she had visited Sentosa to observe the ongoing cleanup process, which “involves a lot of hard work”.
Grace Fu Updates on Oil Spill Clean-Up Efforts
She highlighted that the primary objective is to stop the oil spill from spreading further inwards, more than 71,000kg of oil-soaked sand has since been removed from Palawan, Siloso, and Tanjong beaches, whose shorelines were blackened after the oil spill.
“In addition, we also need to clean the oil off rock bunds and breakwaters near beaches,” Fu said, adding that the rock bunds are not as accessible as beach shorelines and their surfaces are uneven. Oil that has slipped into the boulder crevices also needs to be thoroughly flushed out, and oil within the lagoon needs to be removed,” Grace Fu said.
The minister said, “We, therefore, seek the public’s patience and understanding that more time is needed for the cleanup work along the beachfronts. Before reopening, we also need to ensure that water quality is within safe levels.”
Singapore Demands Compensation from Marine Honour Owners
Meanwhile, Singapore plans to seek compensation for the expenses resulting from an oil spill last week from the owners of the stationary vessel responsible, according to the reports.
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The Maritime and Port Authority told CNA that the shipowner of Singapore-flagged Marine Honour which collided with Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima, is responsible for covering expenses related to containing and cleaning up the oil spill, as well as any damage to infrastructure.
Previously, the port authority said the dredger Vox Maxima suffered a sudden loss of engine and steering control before colliding with Marine Honour at Pasir Panjang Terminal.
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