Efforts to contain and clean up the oil slick following the collision between the Malaysian-registered tanker, MT Bunga Kelana 3 and the St Vincent and The Grenadines-registered bulk carrier, MV Waily continued through the night and on Thursday.

Containment and clean up efforts in the waters off Changi East are still ongoing, with 18 craft equipped with skimmers and containment booms deployed. Containment booms have also been laid at Changi Naval Base, off Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and South of Pulau Tekong.

Clean up efforts at affected coastlines led by the National Environment Agency are ongoing.

The damaged vessel, MT Bunga Kelana 3 is in stable condition. There is no further report of oil leaking from the vessel. As a precautionary measure, the containment boom that was placed around the vessel on 25 May 2010 will remain in place until the vessel is certified safe to be moved. Two craft equipped with dispersants, booms, skimmers and fast tanks are also in the vicinity as an added precautionary measure.

MPA continues to work closely with the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for Joint Oil Spill Combat in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOP). As the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are important straits used for international navigation, MPA would like to reassure all user states and the shipping community that Singapore will continue to take every effort to ensure the continued safety of navigation in the Straits, in co-operation with Indonesia and Malaysia.

When the incident was first reported, MPA notified the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities and has been maintaining close contact with them by sharing regular updates on the situation. MPA has also offered our assistance should it be needed.

The SOP is part of the trilateral arrangement among the three littoral states of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore known as the Revolving Fund Committee (RFC). At the 31st meeting of the RFC held in Singapore today, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia discussed the incident and agreed to continue to co-operate closely to clean up the oil spill.The RFC noted that the incident underscored the importance of having the SOP in place for dealing with such incidents.The RFC also acknowledged that quick action and co-operation have helped to mitigate the impact of this incident and pledged to work together to further enhance joint responses in the future. (Please refer to Annex A for a Factsheet on the RFC. Please also refer to the media release from the RFC following its meeting in Singapore.)

Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia are committed to ensuring navigational safety, protecting the marine environment, and facilitating the movement of ships in and through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Aside from the RFC which was established in 1981, a Tripartite Technical Experts Group (TTEG) of the three littoral states has been in place since 1975.Through the TTEG, the littoral States have co-operated to introduce a number of safety initiatives in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. (Please refer to Annex B for a Factsheet on the TTEG.)

Efforts to contain and clean up the oil slick are continuing. Traffic in the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Straits remains unaffected.

Members of the public can contact MPA's 24-hours Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325 2489 to report any sighting of oil slick in our waters or coastlines.

Further details will be released when available.

End of release

ANNEX A: Factsheet on the Revolving Fund Committee (RFC)
ANNEX B: Factsheet on the Tripartite Technical Experts Group (TTEG)

ISSUED BY THE MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (MPA)