Singapore’s third oil spill since June reported near Changi during bunkering operations

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) reported an oil spill incident on Monday (28 October), off the coast of Changi during bunkering operations involving a Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier and a licensed bunker tanker.

This marks Singapore’s third reported oil spill or leak in local waters since June.

According to MPA, the incident took place around 5:40 pm during standard bunkering, the refuelling process for large cargo ships, which Singapore handles in high volume as one of the world’s largest bunkering ports.

MPA craft arrived promptly at the site, reaching the area around 5:50 pm, and dispersants were sprayed to mitigate the spread of oil.

The authority confirmed that the spill had not affected navigational traffic, although they did not specify the exact quantity of oil involved in the spill.

Government agencies were subsequently notified to keep watch for any signs of oil along the shores.

This incident comes just over a week after an oil spill on 20 October led to a large-scale containment response after a pipeline leak from a major energy company, Shell.

The spill, which involved approximately 30 to 40 metric tonnes of “slop” (a mix of oil and water), resulted in the deployment of containment booms by Shell and additional dispersant-equipped craft by MPA.

Following clean-up efforts, Shell reported that the majority of the spill around Bukom had been contained, though light sheens of oil remained in isolated patches near Bukom and Bukom Kechil islands.

An advisory against swimming in areas around East Coast and the Southern Islands, issued initially after the spill, was lifted on 25 October once safety assessments were complete.

This most recent spill also follows a significant incident in June when an allision between a Netherlands-flagged dredger, Vox Maxima, and a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel, Marine Honour, at Pasir Panjang Terminal resulted in a 400-tonne fuel leak.

This accident, which was attributed to a sudden loss of engine and steering control on the dredger, released a substantial amount of low-sulphur fuel into the surrounding waters.

The environmental impact was extensive, with oil washing up along various beaches, including Sentosa Island, East Coast Park, and Labrador Nature Reserve.

These locations were subsequently closed for clean-up, and efforts involved 800 personnel and over 2,300 volunteers. Operations were completed two months after the initial spill.

MPA has stated that further updates on the Changi spill will be provided as they become available, emphasising continued vigilance in monitoring Singapore’s coastline for potential oil sightings.