This new work takes place just after dredging at Pasir Panjang Container Terminals nearby is supposed to be completed.
Dredging stirs up sediments and makes the water murky. Why does this matter?Cyrene has amazing seagrass meadows and coral reefs. Seagrasses, like other plants, need sunlight. Murky water is like haze. It reduces the level of light that reaches the seagrasses through the water, and mucks up the leave blades. Recently, seagrasses at Cyrene Reef have already shown signs of ill health.
Do corals need sunlight? Yes, they do! 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?
More about Cyrene Reef.
Dredging works off Pasir Panjang Ferminal at East Jurong Fairway
from Port Marine Notice No. 162 of 2010 dated 15 Dec 2010
With effect from 20 Dec 10 to 19 Jun 11. At Pasir Panjang Terminal and its vicinity (see attached chartlet):
Working Hours : Area “a”, “b”, “c” and “d” 24 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays. Area “e”, “f” and “g” 0700 to 1900 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays.
Dredging works will be carried out by the dredgers, “Pandora” and “Tarvos” which will be held in position by 4-points anchor mooring system. There will be a circular safety working zone of 70-metres radius centred at the dredger. Dredged materials will be transported to the designated dumping ground by the hopper barges assisted by pusher tugs. Only one dredger, hopper barge and two tugs will be working at any one time. During the operation, the dredger and hopper barge will be attended by tug boats. The tug boats will be used to shift the dredger and hopper barges, when required to clear the fairway for vessels to berth or unberth. Safety boats will be deployed in the vicinity to warn the other craft to keep clear of the working area. Further enquiries relating to this project can be directed to Mr Emir Himzari, the project coordinator at Tel. 91255998 (email:emir@eastmarine.com.sg).
