Significant resources are being deployed to fight an oil spill that has washed up across much of Singapore’s southern coastline.
On Friday, a Van Oord dredger, Vox Maxima, lost power and control of its steering and crashed into a bunker barge, Marine Honour, which was at anchor. Images show the barge’s hull was badly punctured with local reports suggesting at least half the very low sulphur fuel oil onboard, about 400 tonnes, spilled out.
Due to the tidal currents, parts of the oil spillage have landed along the southern shorelines including Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, Southern Islands, Marina South Pier, and East Coast Park. An oil sheen was also seen in the waters surrounding Sister’s Islands Marine Park, a 400,000 sq m marine protected area.
Booms and dispersants are being used across a wide area of Singapore’s southern coastline.
Another reason for requiring fossil fuel interests to cover all costs related to oil spills. At present the costs are spread over underwriters, taxpayers etc.