Concerns for habitat as oil spill reaches southern islands

Groups planning to survey area to document the oil slicks and impact on marine life

- Audrey Tan

Oil leaking from a damaged cargo tank at Pasir Panjang Terminal reached Singapore's southern islands on the morning of June 15, with members of the marine conservation and recreation community reporting sightings of marine habitats and creatures - including mangroves and a kingfisher slicked in oil.

The fishing and yachting communities are on alert for fish deaths over the next few days, while marine biologists fear how Singapore's corals will fare amid the spill.

This is especially since the Republic's coral reefs are still in a weakened state due to the ongoing bleaching event caused by rising sea surface temperatures.

Mr Ahmed Aliyar, an administrative manager at St John's Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML), told The Sunday Times that he saw oil clinging to the mangroves next to the island's main jetty at about 8.45am on June 15.

"The sea was covered with oil and trash, and there was a strong crude oil smell in the air," he added.

Later, as he made his rounds around the island, he also saw an oily sheen covering the lagoons and coastal areas around St John's and the adjacent Lazarus Island.

The spill was caused by a collision between the Netherlandsflagged dredging boat Vox Maxima and the Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour, which was stationary, at about 2.20pm on June 14.

The damaged cargo tank on Marine Honour which was next to a container vessel berthed at Pasir Panjang Terminal - leaked oil into the sea.