Dredging off Kusu Island until Jan 2011

Off the living reefs on Kusu Island, dredging will take place until Jan 2011.

This is in addition to a much much larger area of dredging and sand mining much closer to Kusu Island that has been going in Apr-Aug 09 and Aug-Dec 09, seemingly related dredging and vibracore sampling in Jun 09, sand mining in Oct 09-Feb 10 renamed dredging and extended to Aug 10.

Reef-building hard corals need sunlight because they harbour microscopic, single-celled algae (called zooxanthellae) inside their bodies. The algae undergo photosynthesis to produce food from sunlight. The food produced is shared with the coral polyp, which in return provides the algae with shelter and minerals. It is believed this additional source of nutrients from the zooxanthellae help hard corals produce their hard skeletons and thus expand the size of the colony faster. Thus clear waters that let sunlight through for photosynthesis is important for healthy reef growth.

Our reefs are currently experiencing bleaching. Sedimentation in the water will be one more source of stress for them.

More about the impact of dredging and sand mining, about hard corals on the wild fact sheets, and more about sedimentation in Singapore waters and other threats to our reefs on the Coral Reefs of Singapore website.

Dredging Works at East Keppel Fairway
from Port Marine Notice No. 83 of 2010 dated 23 Jul 2010

With effect from 26 Jul 2010 to 25 Jan 2011. 24 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays. At East Keppel Fairway and its vicinity (see attached chartlet):

Dredging works will be carried out by a Dredger “Kyoei No 18” held in position by spuds as anchors. The dredger, with hopper barges in attendance, will have a circular safety working zone of 50-metre radius centred at the dredger. Dredged materials will be transported to the designated dumping ground by the hopper barges assisted by pusher tugs. The tug boats will be used to shift the dredger, when required to clear the fairway for vessels. Safety boat will be deployed in the vicinity to warn the other craft of the project work off the working area. Contact with the safety boat can be made via VHF Channel 18. Further general enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr. Kitagawa, the project manager at Tel: 8428 1216 (email: kitagawa@mypenta.net).

Earlier dredging and sand mining near Kusu Island

Dredging works Feb-Aug 10

Sand mining Oct 09-Feb 10

Sand mining in Aug-Oct 09