MPA Singapore on oil spill

I refer to your article Oil spill threatens Batam published in The Jakarta Post on Dec. 10. The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore informed the relevant Indonesian authorities promptly after the incident occurred on Dec. 5. The owner of the tanker Agate expeditiously engaged oil response companies to clean up the spill and carried out aerial recces to assess the extent of the oil spill. Two oil slicks were sighted in Indonesian waters: north of Bintan and another two smaller patches off the coast of Bintan.

The oil response companies deployed six pollution craft and two sets of oil booms were laid to contain and recover the spilled oil. MPA facilitated the process through liaison with the Indonesian authorities, which were very cooperative. The oil slicks at sea were recovered and disposed of.

On Dec. 8, representatives of the ship owner, local correspondents of the Protection & indemnity (P&I) Club and the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF), with the kind cooperation of the Indonesian authorities, carried out a survey of Selat Riau and observed scattered small patches of weathered oil. There was no report of oil on the beaches.

In view of the report that oil has reached the islands of Rempang and Galang, the ship owners and insurance company will evaluate and carry out further surveys.

In conclusion, we would like to emphasize that all possible measures were taken quickly and effectively to minimize the adverse effects of the oil spill on the environment in Indonesia and elsewhere.

LEE SENG KONG, for Director General, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore