DAMAGE CAUSED BY COLLISION OF TANKERS

Mr Cyrille Tan asked the Minister for Communications (a) if he will give an assessment on the amount of ecological damage caused by the collision of the tankers off the coast of Singapore; (b) what is the long-term ecological impact on the wildlife concerned; and (c) how much it cost in cleaning up the oil spill.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: The impact of the oil spill on the ecology of the affected areas can only be assessed after a comprehensive study has been carried out. The Tropical Marine Science Initiative of the National University of Singapore has proposed a one-year research project to study the ecological impact of the oil spill.

The Tropical Marine Science Initiative (TMSI) of the NUS has proposed a one-year study on the effects of the oil spill on the sea and aquatic life. The TMSI has submitted the project proposal to the MPA to seek partial funding.

ENV is currently exploring the scope for the Ministry to participate in the study proposed by the TMSI.

It is still too early to ascertain the total cost of the clean-up operations. The bills and claims are still coming in. However, because the situation was brought under control relatively quickly, it is expected that clean-up cost and claims for economic and environmental losses will be lower than expected for an oil spill of this magnitude. Throughout the incident, the operations of the port and the oil/petrochemical complexes were unaffected; international shipping in the busy Singapore Strait went on as usual; and apart from a few off-shore islands, Sentosa and mainland beaches remained clean.