S'pore marine life affected by 2024 oil spill, but shows 'promising' signs of recovery

A June 2024 collision between two vessels near Pasir Panjang Terminal resulted in about 400 tonnes of oil spilled into the sea, with the oil landing along shorelines including Labrador Nature Reserve, Southern Islands and East Coast Park.

Preliminary findings of two research studies found that while Singapore’s marine life was impacted by the oil spill, there are "promising signs" of recovery.

Based on those findings, oil no longer appears to be detectable in the sediment of impacted sites.

Close to 11,000 specimens have been collected and studied so far.

Collective effort

These initial findings were shared at NParks' first oil spill management symposium, themed “Building Knowledge, Bridging Stakeholders”, on May 16 at Jurong Lake Gardens.

Minister of State for National Development and Trade & Industry Alvin Tan said effective oil spill management is a collective effort, pointing to over 1,500 volunteers who stepped up in the wake of the spill.

100 citizen scientists were also trained to support ongoing research.

The symposium is NParks' first to be held dedicated to managing the ecological impact of oil spills, and is aimed at improving Singapore’s response to such incidents.

Studies to be completed by end-2026

The two studies, led by NUS and NIE respectively, collect data on key biodiversity areas and of species of interest, in order to monitor the ecological impact and recovery of these areas post-spill.

Both studies are due to be completed by end-2026.

The NIE study also marks the first time citizen scientists have been trained to participate in oil spill impact research.

NParks said they will continue to explore other ways to involve and train more citizen scientists to contribute towards oil spill response efforts in future.

Both studies build on the preliminary biodiversity surveys carried out by NParks, scientists, and volunteers in the immediate aftermath of the June 2024 oil spill.

They will provide a more complete picture of Singapore’s marine biodiversity and inform future studies and recovery strategies in the event of another oil spill.

Further findings from both studies will be shared when ready.