Update 2: Bintan Dodges Oil Spill
The oil that spilled from Libyan-registered oil tanker Al Yarmouk is not headed towards the island of Bintan based on the satellite imagery obtained on January 4, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) informed.
The ship managers of Al Yarmouk, V. Ships UK Ltd estimate that 4,500 tonnes of Madura crude oil spilled from the tanker after it collided with a Singapore-registered bulk carrier Sinar Kapuas about 11 nautical miles North-East of Pedra Branca, Singapore on January 2nd.
There have been no further reports of oil leakage from Alyarmouk, the Authority updated.
MPA had expected that taking into account the weather and tidal currents, patches of oil might affect the northern parts of the island, however satellite data and aerial surveillance by Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) did not show any spilled oil in the vicinity of Bintan.
The oil spilled from one of Alyarmouk’s cargo tanks that sustained damage in the collision.
Alyarmouk was en route from Tanjung Pelapas, Malaysia to China, and Sinar Kapuas from Hong Kong to Singapore, when the incident occurred.
Two oil spill response companies have been activated to combat the resultant oil spill.
The companies have since deployed four craft equipped with dispersants, oil booms and skimmers to the site.
Non-toxic and bio-degradable dispersants were used to break up the oil into smaller globules.
MPA added it had been monitoring for sightings of the movement of the oil patches, including conducting daily aerial surveillance when possible.
The authority also plans to continue to poll vessels operating in the region on whether they have spotted any oil patches. One report of a possible sighting of an oil patch off the coast of Tanjong Berakit, north-east of Bintan, was reported to the Indonesian authorities for their investigation.
According to the update, the two vessels involved in the collision were safely anchored and in stable condition north-east of Pedra Branca.
There is no report of injury, and traffic in the port and the Strait of Singapore remains unaffected.
MPA is investigating the cause of the collision.
Image: Rico Voss/Shipspotting
