Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) announced on August 3 that Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong Beach will reopen for swimming and all sea activities in August, with Siloso Beach being the first to reopen, with immediate effect. After an extensive oil spill cleanup operation, Siloso Beach is ready to welcome visitors again to enjoy water activities. Beachfront businesses along the shores of Siloso Beach are also fully operational, an official news release stated.
This development comes one and a half months after the oil spill incident on 14 June 2024, which necessitated the temporary closure of water activities on Sentosa Island and Southern Islands’ beaches. In collaboration with oil spill response specialists, SDC coordinated the cleanup effort involving over 300 trained workers. The concerted efforts and comprehensive response towards the oil spill led to an early completion and reopening of Siloso Beach in one and a half months instead of the expected three months.
The oil spill response process was carried out in phases and included a comprehensive approach to contain and manage the resulting environmental impact. Immediately after the spill, containment booms were deployed to minimise the spread of oil from the open sea into sensitive lagoon areas. This was critical in controlling the scale of contamination, while the oil skimmer machines were mobilised to remove oil from the surface of the water.
Absorbent booms were also deployed at the shoreline to soak up remnant oi.