Large section of East Coast Park beachfront closed following oil spill; waters at Sentosa beaches remain closed

SINGAPORE — A large section of the beachfront in East Coast Park will be closed until further notice to the public amid clean-up efforts in the aftermath of an oil spill resulting from a ship incident in Pasir Panjang Terminal.

The beachfront closure in East Coast Park stretches from Area B to Area H.

The jetty and Rocky Shore at Labrador Nature Reserve are also closed, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), National Parks Board (NParks), National Environment Agency (NEA), Sentosa Development Corporation in a joint statement on June 15.

In Sentosa, the Tanjong, Palawan and Siloso beaches will remain open, but water activities and swimming will not be allowed.

Food and beverage establishments, tracks, fields and cycling paths also will stay open, the statement said.

The oil spill is the result of an incident involving the Netherlands-flagged dredging boat Vox Maxima and the Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour, which was stationary, on June 14.

Due to the tidal current, the oil has landed along shorelines including those of Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, the Southern Islands, Marina South Pier and East Coast Park, the statement said.

"Oil spill from the vessel has been contained, and there is no further leak from the vessel since last evening. The oil that escaped from the damaged tank has been treated by dispersants," it added.

There are no signs of oil slick within Sisters' Islands Marine Park, but an oil sheen was observed in the surrounding waters, it said.

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MPA patrol craft were deployed to spray dispersants on the spill. The MPA oil spill response contractor was also activated, and the team mobilised oil booms, dispersants and oil skimmer to reduce the impact of the spill.

The joint statement said 18 response craft have been deployed by MPA, port operator PSA, Singapore Salvage Engineers, Tian San Shipping and T&T Salvage to carry out the containment and clean-up efforts at sea.

Close to 1,500m of container booms have been deployed and more will be used over the next few days to prevent further spread of oil onto the shores.

The booms also facilitate the recovery of the trapped oil off the affected shorelines and lagoons to prevent them from going back to sea, the statement added.

NParks has also deployed oil absorbent booms to protect Berlayer Creek and the Rocky Shore at Labrador Nature Reserve.

Although West Coast Park is not affected, oil absorbent booms have also been deployed there to protect the mangroves at the Marsh Garden.

In a Facebook post on June 15, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said people have contacted the authorities and want to help, and anyone who wants to volunteer or contribute in any way can fill up this form.

He added that government agencies are working to contain the spill and to clean up the affected areas, and people are advised to stay away from the beachfront at East Coast Park as well as the waterfront at Labrador Nature Reserve for their own safety, and to allow professional cleaning to take place.

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Volunteers will be activated if needed and people will be given updates on the situation, said Lee.

Members of the public who encounter any oil-slicked animal can contact the Animal Response Centre on 1800-476-1600.

NEA is monitoring water quality at other beaches, while MPA will be conducting an investigation into the incident.

ALSO READ: Sentosa beaches closed due to oil spill from Pasir Panjang Terminal

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.