Botched Bunkering Leads to 5-Metric-Ton Oil Spill Off Singapore’s Coast

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has confirmed a significant bunker fuel spill in Singaporean waters off the coast of Changi.

The spill occurred at approximately 5:40 p.m. on Monday, during a bunkering operation between the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier INES CORRADO and a licensed bunker tanker.

The MPA’s craft arrived at the scene within 10 minutes, immediately spraying dispersants to mitigate the environmental impact. The bunkering operations were halted as soon as the incident was reported.

The MPA later confirmed that the oil overflow resulted in an estimated 5 tonnes of oil released.

“As at 8:00 AM this morning, there is no oil sighted at sea in the vicinity of the incident and ashore,” the MPA said in a statement seeking to reassure the public.

As a precautionary measure, the MPA has deployed a Current Buster off Changi to recover any oil that might be sighted on the water. Additionally, Malaysian authorities have been alerted to monitor for any potential oil sightings.

The incident has not impacted navigational traffic in the area. However, the MPA has announced that it will be conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the spill.

The spill comes a week after a major oil leak from a pipeline at a Shell facility on Singapore’s Pulau Bukom island, with approximately 30-40 metric tonnes of slop–a mixture of oil and water–leaking into the water.

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