Massive dredging near Kusu Island until Apr 2011

Dredging in an area at least four times larger than Kusu Island will take place for another six months.
Kusu Island has amazing living reefs! But Dredging stirs things up. This is probably why the waters at Kusu are murky. Why does this matter?

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.

Healthy corals are better able to cope with other threats, such as the recent spell of coral bleaching.

More about the impact of dredging and sand mining, about hard corals on the wild fact sheets, and what is sedimentation and why does it matter?

This work is in addition to sand mining in Oct 09-Feb 10 renamed dredging and extended to Aug 10.; and more dredging near Kusu to Mar 2011.

More about notices about dredging around Kusu Island.

Dredging works at East Keppel Fairway
from Port Marine Notice No. 123 of 2010 dated 1 Oct 2010

With effect from 04 Oct 2010 to 03 Apr 2011. 0700hrs to 1900hrs daily including Sundays and Public Holidays. At East Keppel Fairway and its vicinity, (see attached chartlet):

Dredging works will be carried out by a Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) in sectors A, B or C. While dredging, Queen of Penta Ocean will maintain a speed of about 2 knots. The TSHD will only dredge in one sector at a time. When moving from the dredging area to the dumping ground, she will proceed at a safe speed of not more than 12 knots depending on the traffic conditions and visibility. Contact with the TSHD can be made via VHF Channel 18 or channel 12. Further general enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr. Y. Mitsunari, the project manager at Tel: 9114 5774 (email: y.mitsunari@mypenta.net).