Johor has initiated coastal clean-ups and activated patrols in the Kota Tinggi district following an oil spill in Singapore that released around 400 tonnes of fuel into the sea last week.
State Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon announced on Facebook that clean-up operations began on Friday (June 21) at Sungai Rengit and Teluk Ramunia beaches. Related agencies will continue to monitor the pollution in the waters off Pengerang, as reported by the Malay Mail.
The affected areas, including Sungai Rengit and Pengerang, are located east of Changi, Singapore, several kilometres from affected sites like East Coast Park and Tanah Merah beaches. The spill resulted from a collision between the Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima and the Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour at the Pasir Panjang Container Terminal (PPT) on June 14, causing a rupture in one of Marine Honour’s oil cargo tanks.
Mr Ling stated that his department received information from Singapore’s National Environment Agency about the oil spill on Tuesday morning. The following day, the Johor Department of Environment was informed by the Pengerang Municipal Council about oil pollution on Sungai Rengit Beach.
Mr Ling’s Facebook post on Friday highlighted the ongoing beach clean-ups at Sungai Rengit and Ramunia. Johor officials have inspected the affected areas, with Tanjung Surat assemblyman Aznan Tamin posting photos on Facebook of an on-site inspection with Kota Tinggi district officer Ahmad Nazir Mohd Nasir and state environment department director Mohd Famey Yusoff. Mr Aznan, who is also the chairman of the Johor Education and Information Committee, mentioned that a special meeting would be held to determine the necessary intervention actions.
The oil spill has impacted various locations in Singapore, including Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, East Coast Park, and the islands of St John’s, Lazarus, and Kusu. While several beaches in Singapore have been largely cleared of oil, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat noted that it will take some time before the oil is completely removed. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority has indicated it will seek compensation from the owners of Marine Honour, who have insurance coverage to meet the liability.
