Dredging right next to Cyrene Reef continues

24/7 dredging that started in April will continue and over a wider area, very close to Terumbu Pandan, which we call Cyrene Reef. This is in addition to the ongoing massive reclamation for the new Pasir Panjang Container Terminal.
Here's a photo of the dredging taking place very close to our usual landing spot on Cyrene, taken in May 2010.

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.

Seagrass meadows on Cyrene, on the horizon,
massive reclamation at Pasir Panjang Container Terminal.

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 Terminal and Cyrene Reefs
from Port Marine Notice No. 64 of 2011 dated 20 May 2011

This is a revision of Port Marine Notice No. 34 of 2011. The working area and the working period have been revised.

With effect from 23 May 11 to 22 July 11. East Jurong Channel, Pasir Panjang Terminal and its vicinity (see attached chartlet, above).

Area “E”: 0700 to 1900 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays. Areas “B”, “C”, “D”, “F” and “G”: 24 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays.

Dredging works will be carried out by the dredger “Pandora” which will be held in position by 3 spuds system or 4-point anchor mooring system. There will be 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 of the working areas to warn other craft to keep clear of the working areas. Further general enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr Emir Himzari, the project manager at Tel 9125 5998 (email: lemir@eastmarine.com.sg).

Dredging works off Cyrene Reefs and Jong Fairway
From Port Marine Notice NO. 78 of 2011 dated 06 Jul 2011

This is a revision of Port Marine Notice No. 64 of 2011. The working areas and the working period have been revised.

With effect from 11 Jul 11 to 10 Aug 11. Off Cyrene Reefs, Jong Fairway and its vicinity (see attached chartlet):

Areas “H” and “J”
0700 to 1900 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays.
Areas “B”, “C” and “D”
24 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays.

Dredging works will be carried out by the dredger, “Pandora” and which will be held in position by 4-point anchor mooring system. There will be 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 of the working areas to warn other craft to keep clear of the working areas. Further general enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr Emir Himzari, the project manager at Tel 9125 5998 (email: lemir@eastmarine.com.sg).

Dredging works off Cyrene Reefs and Jong Fairway
from Port Marine Notice NO. 98 OF 2011 dated 02 Aug 2011

This is a revision of Port Marine Notice No. 78 of 2011. The working period has been extended.

With effect from 11 Aug 11 to 31 Aug 11. Off Cyrene Reefs, Jong Fairway and its vicinity, within the working areas bounded by the following co-ordinates (see attached chartlet):

Dredging works will be carried out by the dredger, “Pandora” and which will be held in position by 4-point anchor mooring system. There will be 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 of the working areas to warn other craft to keep clear of the working areas. Further general enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr Emir Himzari, the project manager at Tel 9125 5998 (email: lemir@eastmarine.com.sg).

Dredging works off Cyrene Reefs and Jong Fairway
from Port Marine Notice NO. 106 OF 2011 dated 23 Aug 2011

This is a revision of Port Marine Notice No. 98 of 2011. The working areas and the working period have been revised. With effect from 24 Aug 11 to 17 Oct 11. Off Cyrene Reefs, Jong Fairway and its vicinity (see attached chartlet):

Dredging works will be carried out by the dredger, “Pandora” which will be held in position by 4-point anchor mooring system. The safety working zone is a circular 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 of the working areas to warn other craft to keep clear of the working areas. Further enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr Emir Himzari, the project manager at Tel 9125 5998 (email: lemir@eastmarine.com.sg).

Dredging works off Cyrene Reefs and Jong Fairway
From Port Marine Notice No. 123 of 2011 dated 20 Sep 2011

This is a revision of Port Marine Notice No. 106 of 2011. The working areas and the working period have been revised. With effect from 22 Sep 11 to 30 Nov 11. Off Cyrene Reefs, Jong Fairway and its vicinity (see attached chartlet):

Dredging works will be carried out by the dredger, “Pandora” and which will be held in position by 4-point anchor mooring system. There will be 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 of the working areas to warn other craft to keep clear of the working areas. Further general enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr Emir Himzari, the project manager at Tel 9125 5998 (email: lemir@eastmarine.com.sg).