Beachgoers can now return to Changi Beach for swimming and other water activities, the National Environment Agency (NEA) announced in a Facebook post on 06 July 2024. The NEA assured the public that Changi Beach can be reopened as it was not directly impacted by the oil spill following a maritime accident at Pasir Panjang Terminal over three weeks ago.
“Water quality has remained normal and stable in the past week, and the bulk of oil in the sea has been removed,” the NEA stated, adding that they would withdraw the previous advisory against water activities at Changi Beach.
The advisory was initially issued on June 17 due to a significant oil spill that occurred when a cargo tank leaked oil into the sea at Pasir Panjang Terminal on June 14. The oil spill affected the coastlines of East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, Keppel Bay, the Southern Islands, and Sentosa on June 15. Some oil was also spotted off Changi.
Image: Bloomberg
A joint statement from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, NEA, National Parks Board, national water agency PUB, Sentosa Development Corporation, and Singapore Food Agency on June 17 confirmed these observations. However, satellite and drone images showed no oil slicks at East Coast and Changi since June 18.
Despite the clearance at Changi Beach, advisories against swimming and primary contact water activities remain in place for East Coast Park, Sentosa, and the waters off the Southern Islands until further notice. These areas were severely impacted by the oil spill, which was caused by a maritime accident involving a Netherlands-flagged dredging boat and a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel, resulting in 400 tonnes of low-sulphur fuel leaking into the sea.
Image: Xinhua News
The beaches affected by the continued closure include:
East Coast Park: Beachfront areas from Area B to H
Labrador Nature Reserve: Jetty and rocky shore areas
While the beaches at Sentosa remain open, sea activities and swimming are currently prohibited at Tanjong, Palawan, and Siloso Beach to ensure public safety while the oil spill clean-up operations continue into its second phase.
All other facilities at Sentosa, East Coast Park and Labrador Nature Reserve, including food and beverage outlets, remain open for visitors and will benefit from your support and patronage due to low footfalls.
Image: Expedia
Medical experts have emphasized staying out of the water in affected areas and warned about the health risks associated with exposure to low-sulphur oil, including respiratory issues and skin irritation. They recommend removing contaminated clothing and washing exposed skin with water and soap.
Image: Shutterstock
Associate Professor Yann Felix Boucher from the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering noted that ongoing studies aim to assess the status of oil-affected waters around Pasir Panjang Terminal and the Sisters’ Islands. He cautioned that oil might still be present in the sand, where it decomposes more slowly and may not be easily visible to the human eye.
Find out more about oil spill clean-up progress on the NParks Noticeboard here!
