Singapore says dredger that hit oil tanker reported sudden loss of control and cleanup of oil spill underway

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Singapore authorities said Monday that a dredging boat reported a sudden loss of engine and steering control that led it to hit a stationary cargo ship, causing a oil spill which blackened part of the southern coasts of the island city.

The Dutch-flagged dredger Vox Maxima collided with the Singaporean fuel supply ship Marine Honor on Friday. One of the Marine Honor’s cargo tanks ruptured, leaking low-sulfur oil into the sea. Although the leak was contained, tides carried away the spilled oil that had been treated with dispersants further along the coastline, including towards the popular tourist island of Sentosa.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, in a joint statement with the National Environment Agency, the National Parks Board and Sentosa Development Corp., said the captain and crew members of the Vox Maxima were contributing to ongoing investigations.

Part of a public park’s waterfront, beaches on three southern islands and a nature reserve were closed to aid cleanup efforts. Sentosa beaches remain open to the public but maritime activities and swimming are prohibited.

Oil Spill Response Limited, an industry-funded cooperative that responds to spills, will deploy floating containment and recovery devices to retain oil on the water surface, where two skimmers will then transport the oil into storage tanks , indicates the press release.

More than 250 workers are involved in the cleanup. Nearly 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) of containment booms have been installed to trap the oil and an additional 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) of temporary barriers will be installed over the coming days to prevent the oil from spreading over the shore. said the press release.

The National Parks Board has also deployed oil-absorbing booms to protect mangroves in another park that has been untouched so far. Members of the public who volunteered to help were tasked with patrolling the park for early signs of an oil spill.

Ecologists and biologists are monitoring the full extent of damage to marine life and wildlife. Photos published in Singapore newspapers and on Facebook showed a small dead fish and a kingfisher covered in oil.

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