East Johor Straits oil patch from Langsat Terminal, Johor (3 Apr 2025)

An oil patch was sighted in the eastern Johor Strait off the northeastern coast of Pulau Ubin on 3 Apr 2025 at around 7pm. Johor Port Authority confirmed an oil spill incident within Langsat Terminal, located near the mouth of the Johor River.

Updates evening of 5 Apr
=Chek Jawa reopens
=Oil residue at affected areas of Chek Jawa will be allowed to remain break down naturally to prevent any further impact, while NParks will continue to monitor the area closely.
=One fish farm - De Kelong - was more significantly affected than others. The farm has temporarily stopped the sale and distribution of its seafood stock.
=Tests results of seafood from other farms in the East Johor Strait and imported seafood showed “no cause for concern”, SFA said.

For the latest updates, visit https://go.gov.sg/nparksnoticeboard

For daily updates on facebook, see this album on wildsingapore FB

Pulau Semakau (South) - seagrasses doing well!

A tiny team survey this shore right next to the Landfill in glorious weather.

The seagrasses are still doing well! Corals seemed to have survived mass coral bleaching, and the 'field' of branching coral seems to be expanding. Ian managed to document a large sea turtle and large shark! 

Terumbu Semakau after a storm - still okay!

Plunging headlong into a Sumatras storm, a small team emerges on the other side of the storm front to survey this special submerged reef. It lies right next to Singapore's only landfill and near the petrochemical plants on Pulau Bukom, less than an hour away from the Central Business District. 

Photo by Liz Lim

It was a relief to see that the reefs seem to have pulled through the Fourth Global mass coral bleaching event last year. We were last here in Aug 2024 when we estimate about 10% of hard and soft corals were bleaching. Today, there were no widespread signs of bleaching.

Pulau Semakau (North) doing well

A full team surveys the rich reefs of Pulau Semakau (North). 

We last surveyed in Jul 2024 to check for impact of mass coral bleaching. At that time, we estimated about 20% of hard corals were bleaching, with a few bleaching leathery soft corals. Today, we didn't see any bleaching corals. The team spot Giant clam, large Cushion stars, sharks, sea turtles and more! But we also observed scummy water.

Pulau Hantu still alive!

Although Pulau Hantu lies just across the petrochemical plants on Pulau Bukom, there are living reefs and even mangroves here. A full team surveys at the first predawn tide of the cycle.

It was a relief to see that the reefs seem to have pulled through the Fourth Global mass coral bleaching event last year. As well as oil spills large and small. We last surveyed in Jun 2024 just after the 400tonne Pasir Panjang oil spill on 14 Jun 2024. We surveyed again in Oct 2024 12 hours after an oil spill at Pulau Bukom.

Cyrene briefly: signs of dugong, stars and more!

We make a brief visit to Cyrene on the last evening tide of the cycle. Right opposite the site of the Pasir Panjang Terminal where the Jun 2024 oil spill occured, we saw thriving marine life.

A green turtle was sighted! And we are delighted to see dugong feeding trails, a bloom of sidegill slugs. Also many Knobbly sea stars, Giant clam and more.