Biennial Oil Spill Exercise Tests Operating Procedures and New Oil Spill Response Technologies

The 16th Joint Oil Spill Exercise (JOSE) was held this morning in conjunction with the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference, organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Conducted since 1998, the biennial exercise aims to test inter-agency and industry coordination and response to oil spill incidents in the Port of Singapore.

2. Over 100 personnel from 18 agencies and companies participated in JOSE 2024, which included a table-top exercise and a seaward deployment exercise at the Western Anchorage, off Pasir Panjang Terminal. Representatives from various nature and community groups were invited to observe the seaward deployment exercise. See Annex A for the full list of participating agencies and companies.

3. As part of this year's exercise, terminal operators on Jurong Island and Pulau Bukom activated their emergency protocols. The operators' company-owned craft were deployed to spray "dispersants", complementing the MPA patrol craft deployed at the exercise site. Protective booms were also deployed by several operators to facilitate clean-up operations and minimise operational disruption.

4. MPA also tested new technologies which could support oil spill response. The technology demonstrations, carried out at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, included the KOBOT, a compact remote-operated oil recovery robot developed by South Korea-based KOAI Co., Ltd. and supported by Hyundai Corporation, as well as a laser oil-stain cleaning device from Singapore-based BKR Engineering.

5. Measuring 4.5 by 1.5 meters and weighing about 160 kilograms, the KOBOT is designed for use in shallow, confined waters such as marinas and canals. It can be deployed by a lightweight crane and remotely operated by a single person. Its agility would allow it to better reach areas that are not easily accessible by conventional oil skimmers.

6. The laser cleaning device from BKR Engineering uses intense light beams to break down and vaporise oil stains. It has the potential to complement high-pressure water jets during the final phase of clean-up work for shore infrastructure, such as canal walls and rock bunds, where precise cleaning is required to remove residual stains or oil spots.

7. In collaboration with the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine Singapore (TCOMS) and ST Engineering's Commercial Aerospace, MPA is also testing hyperspectral imagery at the TCOMS facility to assess the feasibility of detecting oil slicks below the water surface. Unlike conventional electro-optical cameras, which rely on visible and near-infrared light, hyperspectral cameras capture a broad spectrum of wavelengths. This would allow them to better distinguish oil from water, improving spill detection in challenging environments, including low-light conditions. These areas still require substantial development work before the capability can be operationalised, including being deployed by drone.

8. The technology demonstration and testing are part of ongoing efforts to explore new technologies which have the potential to enhance incident management capabilities, including oil spill response, and provide opportunities for innovators to testbed their technologies. See Annex B for the list of technologies.