On Oct. 28, about 5 tons of oil were spilled in the ocean off of Changi, Singapore, during bunkering between a tanker and a bulk carrier.
What's happening?
Marine Insight reported that the incident involved the Bahamas-flagged Ines Corrado bulk carrier and an authorized bunker tanker — a specialized type of tanker designed for transporting and delivering fuel to ships at sea.
When the leak began, the bunkering operations came to a halt, but 5 tons of oil had already spilled into the ocean.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore dispatched response vehicles to the scene of the incident, and they arrived about 10 minutes after the spill had occurred.
Personnel sprayed the affected area with dispersants, which are chemicals used to break up oil slicks into smaller droplets so they can be more easily degraded by microbes and other organisms.
MPA confirmed that the oil spilling from the bulk carrier Ines Corrado has stopped, and by 8 a.m. the following morning, no oil was seen on shore or near the area of the incident.
Why are oil spills important?
Oil spills in the ocean can have a devastating effect on marine life. At the surface, oil slicks are particularly dangerous for sea turtles, marine mammals, sea birds, and early life stages of fish like eggs and embryos, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The dispersants help break up the oil slick and allow the smaller droplets to sink into the water column. While this reduces risk for marine animals at the surface, it creates a danger for the animals that live farther down in the water column and at the sea floor.
Ingesting or inhaling oil is toxic for animals. Oil can also interfere with sea birds' and mammals' ability to stay waterproof. This can stop them from maintaining a safe body temperature and lead to death from hypothermia.
Oil spills can also damage marshes and beaches, including all the plants and animals that live in those ecosystems, per NOAA.
What's being done about the oil spill?
The MPA has begun an investigation into the cause of the incident. A Current Buster — a high-speed oil spill containment system — was dispatched into the area for cleanup.
Developed by NOFI, the Current Buster can separate oil from water while sweeping across the ocean's surface, even in strong currents. It retains the separated oil, pulling it out of the sea.
Malaysian authorities and other government agencies have been alerted to the incident and informed to look for oil sightings at sea or along the shoreline.
Singapore is also testing new tech to combat future oil spills.
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