Singapore Races To Clean Oil Spill Hits Luxury Beach Resort

An oil spill affecting Singapore has spread beyond a luxury beach resort to a marine reserve and other parts of the island nation as authorities intensify cleanup efforts, Kathleen Magramo reported for CNN.

The oil spilled into the city-state’s waters after a Netherlands-flagged dredger, Vox Maxima, hit a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel, Marine Honor. I Photo: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore - MPA Facebook 

The oil spilled into the city-state’s waters after a Netherlands-flagged dredger, Vox Maxima, hit a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel, Marine Honor, on Friday afternoon, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

While the oil leak from the vessel had been contained and treated with dispersants as of Saturday, some of the treated fuel had spread due to the tidal currents.

The oil spill has spread from the busy Pasir Panjang Terminal cargo port, less than 10 kilometers from Sentosa, a popular resort island home to luxury hotels, golf courses, and Universal Studios Singapore.

The incident occurred at the start of the Hari Raya Haji long holiday weekend, expected to attract many locals and tourists. Local conservation group Marine Stewards posted photos of oil-soaked birds and shorelines on its Facebook page.