Oil spill occurs off Changi during bunkering operation

An oil spill took place off Changi on Oct 28 during a bunkering operation between a Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier and a licensed bunker tanker.

- Sarah Koh

In a statement sent in the wee hours of Oct 29, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the incident reportedly occurred at 5.40pm and the bunkering operation ceased immediately.

According to information found on the agency's website, bunkering is the process of supplying fuels to ships for their own use, and Singapore is one of the largest and most important bunkering ports in the world.

MPA said its craft arrived at the scene of the incident at around 5.50pm and sprayed dispersants. Dispersants are chemicals that break up oil into smaller droplets, which can be mixed with water.

There is no impact on navigational traffic, and relevant government agencies have been alerted to keep a lookout for oil sightings along local shores, said the agency.