A collision between the Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima and the Singaporean fuel supply ship Marine Honor resulted in an oil spill off the coast of Singapore. The spill washed along the shoreline, reaching the popular resort island of Sentosa. Efforts to contain and clean up the spill involved more than 250 workers, with parts of the beaches closed for cleanup. Despite the spill, Sentosa beaches remain open to the public, although swimming and sea activities are prohibited for the time being.
The incident occurred when the dredger Vox Maxima reported a sudden loss of control, causing it to strike the stationary cargo tanker Marine Honor and rupture one of its cargo tanks, leading to a leak of low-sulfur oil into the sea. While the leak has been contained, tides carried the spilled oil further along the shoreline. Singaporean authorities are conducting ongoing investigations into the incident, with the master and crew members of Vox Maxima assisting in the process. A joint statement from the Maritime and Port Authority, National Environment Agency, National Parks Board, and Sentosa Development Corp. confirmed the details of the collision.
Cleanup efforts involve the closure of part of the beachfront at a public park, beaches at three southern islands, and a nature reserve to facilitate cleanup operations. Oil Spill Response Limited, an industry-funded cooperative, will be deploying floating containment and recovery devices to corral the oil on the water surface. Skimmer craft will then lift the oil into storage tanks for proper disposal. Over 250 workers are currently involved in the cleanup, with containment booms and temporary barriers set up to prevent further spread of oil onto the shoreline.
The National Parks Board has deployed oil-absorbing booms to protect mangroves at a park that has not been affected yet. Members of the public who volunteered to help have been assigned to patrol the park for early signs of oil slicks. Conservationists and biologists are monitoring the impact of the spill on marine and wildlife, with reports of a small dead fish and oil-covered kingfisher surfacing. The full extent of the damage to the environment is still being assessed, with cleanup efforts ongoing to mitigate the impact of the oil spill on the local ecosystem.
