Dealing With 400 Tonnes Of Oil: Emergency Preparedness In Action

5-minute read

As a maritime hub and the world’s largest bunkering hub, Singapore is no stranger to managing oil-related risks.

Which is why, when 400 tonnes of fuel spilled into our waters on 14 June 2024 after the Netherlands-flagged dredger VOX MAXIMA hit the Singapore-flagged bunker tanker MARINE HONOUR at Pasir Panjang Terminal, the emergency response led by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) kicked in immediately.

From rapid containment of the spill to working with volunteers, here is an inside scoop on how our fellow agencies, industry partners, and communities raced against time to limit the damage wrought by the spill and make our shores and waters safe again.

The Oil Spill Response in Numbers

• Eleven minutes to first on-site response by MPA

• Over 800 personnel deployed for clean-up operations 

• More than 2,300 volunteers mobilised

• Over 4,000 metres of boom laid to contain the spill

Swift and Sure

When an oil spill occurs, speed is of essence: a delayed response would allow the oil to spread further, wreaking more harm on our environment and public health. Upon learning of the incident, MPA immediately activated its oil spill contingency plan.

Within 11 minutes, patrol craft had arrived onsite to assess vessel safety and containment measures.

MPA also mobilised the relevant agencies straightaway. While MPA led the seaward operations, the National Environment Agency (NEA), National Parks Board (NParks), Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) coordinated the clean-up efforts on land, at parks, nature reserves, islands, and biodiversity-sensitive sites.

Meanwhile, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Singapore’s national water agency PUB were activated to ensure that our water supply and local fish stocks remain safe for public consumption.

Why Plans, Training, and Drills Matter

The swift and sure multi-agency response was possible only because of a strong foundation built over time through emergency response planning, regular training, and annual joint drills. For instance, the 2024 exercise conducted by MPA involved over 100 personnel from 18 organisations! This allows gaps to be identified and resolved way in advance.

Captain Chong Jia Chyuan, Port Master, MPA, stated, “As one of the busiest ports in the world and a top bunkering hub, MPA must be able to respond in a swift and coordinated manner when incidents happen. The exercises that we conduct are important to ensure the readiness of the agencies, and to strengthen the practice of working closely as an integrated unit to deliver a coordinated Whole-of-Government (WOG) response.”

More critically, as Grace Lee, Director, Environmental Management, SDC shared, “Having a resilience framework in place ensures emergency preparedness is embedded within the organisation’s culture, systems, and processes.” SDC’s tiered crisis framework thus enabled operations on Sentosa to continue largely unaffected throughout the oil spill.

Public Safety First

Oil spills are not just unpleasant and unsightly—they emit harmful chemicals that pollute the air and waters and cause health risks. Ensuring public health and safety was an urgent priority.

“When oil sheen was observed on our beaches, our first action was to close all three beaches in Sentosa to swimming and water sports activities to ensure public safety. We also prioritised informing our guests, Sentosa Cove residents, and businesses of the incident,” shared Grace.

NEA coordinated the overall landward clean up and tested water and air quality to ensure public safety. The agency also advised the public against primary contact water activities that involved contact with water, such as swimming and wakeboarding, at the beaches of East Coast Park and the Southern Islands.

To ensure that our water supply was unaffected, PUB monitored saltwater intakes. SFA took fish samples twice daily to assess if local fish are safe for consumption.

These quick decisions made sure that public health risks were kept minimum. Clear communication gave citizens and stakeholders confidence that the crisis was under control as our agencies worked hard to mitigate the impact.

Coordination and Communication: The Backbone of Crisis Management

A smooth operation does not happen by accident. It requires structured leadership, clear communication, and continuous information sharing. 

MPA chaired the coordinating body comprising government agencies, oil spill response experts, and industry partners. The clear chain of command ensured a unity of effort and communications. Meetings were held daily for rapid decision-making and resource allocation. On-site discussions were conducted regularly for stronger coordination.

Saravanan Nadarajan, Senior Manager, National Biodiversity Centre, NParks, reiterated, “The key to effective inter- and intra-agency operations is communication. Agencies need to communicate well so that response plans are well integrated at a WOG level, ensuring efficient use of resources and manpower.”

Recognising that misinformation can spread as fast as an oil spill, MPA also proactively engaged the media. It facilitated media visits out at sea so that reporters could understand the challenges of the operations. A technical background briefing was held for the media ahead of the press conference so that they could report accurately on the work done.

Solutioning With the Community and Experts

Lastly, the response was not just a government effort alone.

Together with the Public Hygiene Council, NEA coordinated and mobilised more than 2,300 volunteers for clean-up operations at East Coast beach. The protocol to remove tar balls safely was also developed by specialist volunteer groups. “The actions of all the volunteers helped accelerate the recovery of our beaches, biodiversity, and ecology,” said Jeremy Lai, Head, Joint Operations Planning Department, NEA.

Private sector expertise played a major role as well, as oil spill experts were engaged to ensure that the clean-up was thorough and effective. New technological capabilities were also leveraged. For example, drones and satellites were used to locate spills that would have been difficult to spot from sea level and direct oil recovery assets.

“Wearing a coordinated hat is crucial. MPA and our agencies could not have done this alone. We would like to thank everyone who stepped up to offer their assistance,” reflected Captain Chong.

A Coordinated Whole-Of-Government Emergency Response

Our rapid response to the oil spill highlights the effectiveness of preparedness, coordination, and technology adoption.

Most importantly, the agencies wholeheartedly embraced a WOG mindset from the get-go. “The willingness of the agencies to approach the spill at the WOG level and collaborate as one Public Service was what allowed the quick response,” shared Jeremy. “Agencies were willing to share and divert resources to more critical areas.”

By integrating WOG efforts, industry partnerships, and community engagement, Singapore was able to minimise environmental damage, protect public health, and restore affected areas ahead of schedule!