Poor visibility delays oil spill detection: Chee Hong Tat

The deployment of oil skimmers was delayed due to the difficulty in initially locating the oil patches.

Poor visibility hindered the immediate detection of large oil patches in the water after the Pasir Panjang Terminal oil spill incident 14 June, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.

On 2 July, Chee detailed the government's response to the 400-tonne oil spill in a ministerial statement, one of three delivered in Parliament addressing 40 questions from 23 MPs.

He said the oil spill resulted from an allision between the vessels VOX MAXIMA and MARINE HONOUR at 2:18 PM. After confirming the oil spill, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) patrol craft immediately sprayed dispersant to break down the oil, facilitating subsequent cleaning operations. 

Eleven additional vessels were deployed for various roles in the initial response. MPA ensured the damaged vessel was stable and no further oil leakage occurred, then activated T&T Salvage Asia to deploy heavy-duty containment booms around the vessel. 

Additionally, Chee said that because the density of the spilt oil is close to that of seawater, the oil slicks might have gone below the water surface, making detection harder.

Despite challenging weather conditions and night-time, they used a combination of drones, satellite imagery, and ship sightings, MPA confirmed the location of significant oil patches and deployed oil skimmers to begin removal operations.

Chee said targeted deployment of booms along coastlines and waterfronts facilitated effective clean-up operations. Additionally, preventive measures were implemented at biodiversity-sensitive areas such as Chek Jawa Wetlands at Pulau Ubin. 

A total of around 4,000 meters of oil containment booms were also deployed, including absorbent booms with hydrophobic content. 

Clean-up methods were guided by international experts from ITOPF, ensuring optimal outcomes considering geography, weather, and tidal conditions.

MPA provided regular updates from the day of the incident, informing the public about air and water quality and clean-up operations. 

Agencies mobilised staff and monitored the situation, issuing five media statements in the first four days to keep the public informed. 

Preliminary investigations also revealed that the allision was caused by the dredger experiencing a sudden loss of engine and steering controls.

“The quick response to the oil spill which occurred in our waters on 14 June demonstrated the close coordination and collaboration among our agencies, industry partners and volunteers,” said the minister. “They worked well together and responded effectively to mitigate the impact of the oil spill.”