Oil patches spotted in Singapore's southern waters; source under investigation: MPA

SINGAPORE: Oil patches have been spotted in Singapore's southern waters off Pulau Sebarok, Pulau Semakau and Selat Pauh, with authorities investigating their source.

No oil patches were seen near West Coast, Sentosa, the Southern Islands or East Coast, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in a statement on Sunday (Nov 1).

MPA was alerted to a sighting of oil in the waters off Pulau Sebarok at about 10.25am. Aerial surveillance later confirmed several oil patches in the area.

The authority has activated its oil spill response contractors, while terminals in the area have been directed to deploy their spill response resources.

Relevant agencies have also been alerted to take precautionary measures to protect shorelines if necessary, while ships in port have been asked to report any sightings of oil patches.

There has been "no impact to navigational traffic and port operations", MPA said.

The authority added that it was continuing surveillance and working with agencies and terminals to mitigate and clean up the oil patches, while investigating their source.

Pulau Semakau, which is home to Singapore's only landfill, is about 8km south of the mainland. Selat Pauh is a stretch of water near Pulau Semakau.

Singapore experienced a major oil spill in June 2024, when about 400 tonnes of low-sulphur fuel were released after a dredger hit a stationary bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal.

The oil subsequently washed up on several coastlines, including Sentosa, East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve and the Southern Islands.