According to Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, oil spill clean-up operations are expected to last for three months before beaches are gradually reopened to the public on Monday ( Jun 24 ).  ,
In a joint press conference with Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat and Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, she provided an upgrade on the clean-up activity.
Oil from a broken goods container on the ship’s side drew into the water on the evening of Jun 14 after a Netherlands-flagged dredger hit a fixed bunker vessel.
Over the next few weeks, fuel washed up along several shores including Sentosa, East Coast Park, and Labrador Nature Reserve, as well as shores at St John’s, Lazarus and Kusu islands. At Marina South Pier, you can also see fuel slicks.
According to Ms. Fu, more than 700 washing staff members have been dispatched, and a significant portion of the beachfront fuel has been removed.  ,
” About 550 tonnes of oil- washed sand and dirt from the damaged beaches has been removed”, she added.  ,
To stop crude from being washed ashore or into interior rivers, more than 3,400m of surges have also been deployed.
Without the indefatigable and coordinated work of our cleaning staff from organizations and their service providers, Ms. Fu said.  ,
UP AFTER THE NEXT Step OF CLEANING
According to Ms. Fu, the second stage of clean-up work will be under way.
She said that the first phase of the clean-up focused on removing oil slicks and contaminated dust from the affected beaches ‘ floor and using booms to prevent further contamination.  ,
” This is making good progress and approaching completion” . ,
Seven organizations involved in the oil clean-up effort, including the Maritime and Port Authority ( MPA ) and the National Environment Agency ( NEA ), jointly stated in a statement on Monday that no oil slick along East Coast and Changi has been observed since Jun 18 based on satellite and drone images.
With the exception of Tanjong and Palawan beach in Sentosa, the authorities reported that the majority of the oil-soaked dust had been sanded out of the majority of the damaged open beaches.  ,