Oil Spill Response Continues in Singapore After Containerships Collide

Damage to the hull of the APL Denver.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has reported “good progress” in cleaning up an oil spill after two containerships collided late Tuesday night in the East Johor Strait separating Singapore and Malaysia.

The MPA said Friday clean-up operations are continuing at the Changi Point Ferry Terminal, the fish farms in the Nenas Channel, and at Noordin beach, a popular camping beach along the northern coastline of Pulau Ubin. Oil spill response vessels as well as containment booms and spill recovery equipment such as harbour busters, skimmers and absorbent booms and pads have been deployed to impacted areas, the MPA said.

The Singapore-registered Wan Hai 301 and the Gibraltar-registered APL Denver collided January 3 just before midnight off Pasir Gudang Port, Johor Malaysia, resulting in the release of approximately 300 tonnes of bunker fuel from the APL Denver. Much of the oil is believed to have drifted into Singapore waters.

Reports say the two shipowners have been forced to pay a $223,000 bond to help pay for clean-up operations.

APL Denver is owned by Germany’s HLL Pacific Schiffahrts and registered in Gibraltar, while WAN HAI 301 is owned by Wan Hai Lines Singapore and operated by Taiwan’s Wan Hai Lines.

Port operations remain unaffected, the MPA said Friday.

The cause of the collision is under investigation.

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