PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION OF JAPANOIL SPILL SYMPOSIUM ~98
7 - 8 October 1998 @ Tokyo

MALA YSIA 'S RESPONSE TO THE EVOIKOS_INCIDENTPaper by:PETROLEUM INDUSTRY OF MALAYSIA MUTUAL AID GROUP( PIMMAG)PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN OIL SPILL SYMPOSIUM' 98
MALAYSIA'S RESPONSE TO THE EVOIKOS INCIDENTPaper by : PIMMAG
1.

BACKGROUND
On the 16 October 1997 at 2100 hours a collision occurred between two oilcarriers in the Straits Of Singapore and caused the worst oil spill in Singapore'shistory. The vessels involved in the collision were MT Evoikos ( GRT 75,428tonnes ) and MT 0rpin Global ( GRT 129,702 tonnes ). An estimated of25,000
metric tons of marine fuel oil spewed into the sea from MT Evoikos as a result ofthe damage from the collision.
The oil spill response was spearhead by the Maritime Port Authority ofSingapore who co-ordinated all the resources to combat the spill. Both sea andshore clean up operations were carried out to minimise the effect of the spill.

2.

OIL SLICK MOVEMENT AFFECTING MALAYSIAAs a result of the spill, the oil spread into the surrounding waters and islands.
Within four days ofthe collision the oil slick reached Pulau Hantu, Pulau Senang,Pulau Pawai, Pulau Sudong and seemed to be moving into the Straits of Malacca.
The detail oil slick movements affecting Malaysian waters have been observed asfollows.
Day 1, on 16 Oct 1997
MT Evoikos and MT 0rpm global collided in the Straits of Singapore and spilled
25,000 tonnes of marine fuel oil. Oil start spreading to the surrounding areas.
Day2-4,on 17- 19 Oct 1997
The oil was moving slowly towards Tanjung Piai under the influence of thecurrent. Three large patches of black oil and heavy sheen was found south westof Singapore. Chemical dispersant spraying , booming and skimming activities
were carried out.
Day5-6,on20-21 Oct1997
The oil was moving towards the Straits of Malacca i.e. black oil observed about 7
n.m off Tanjung Piai.

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Day 7, on 22 Oct 1997
Large patch of oil was found 4 n.m off Pulau Pisang and 4 n.m off Tanjung Piai.
The length was about 25 n.m and width about 4.n.m. The oil slick moved northwesterly into the Straits of Malacca forming elongated shape due to the strong
current flow through the narrow gap between Tanjung Piai and Pulau Karimun
Besar. The oil was in the form of thick slick with minimum effect of wind.
Day 8 -10, on 23 -25 Oct 1997
Large patches of black oil and heavy sheen were discovered 1 0 n.m. off Kuala
Sungai Batu Pahat. Current direction was north westerly with speed of 0.4 knot.
Day 11 -12, on 26 -27 Oct 1997
Large patches of elongated oil slick were found 1 0 n.m off Tanjung Tohor. The
length of the oil slick was about 1 5 n.m and width 5 n.m . Oil sheen also noted inseveral patches off Sungai Batu Pahat and Tanjung Tohor. Current speed wasabout 0.7 knot.
Day 13 on 28 Oct 1997
Five large patches of oil were found 8 n.m off Tanjung Kling and 8 n.m off Pulau
Undan . Scattered patches of oil slick were due to heavy traffic flow in the vicinity.
The current speed was about 0.6 knot in north-westerly direction.
Day 14 on 29 Oct 1997
Three patches of elongated oil slick and streak of oil sheen found at 1 5 n.m offTanjung Keling and 8 n.m off Pulau Rupat.
Day 15 on 30 October 1997
Large patch of oil slick was monitored 1 5 n.m off Malacca . The slick was
about10n.m. from the previous day position and in a form of one large patch.
Day 16 on 31 October 1997
Patches of black oil elongated from south of MaLacca to Linggi river about 25 n.min length and 3 n.m width. The slick was moving toward Tanjung Tuan due to thestronger north westerly current.
Dayl7-18,onl-2Nov1997
Patches of black oil elongated about 20 n.m. The assumption was patches of oil
slick split due to heavy traffic flow.
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Day26 on 10 Nov 1997
Patches of oil slick observed 4 n.m off Tanjung Gabang and oil sheen 4 n.m off Port
Dickson. The length of the patches was about 1 5 n.m . The slick was moving northwesterly due to predominant north westerly current.
Day27 -30 on 11-l4Nov 1997
Five patches of oil scattered brown and heavy sheen was found 5 n.m off Tanjung
Gabang . Current speed was about 0.3 knot. A few patches of oil and sheen werestill found 8 - 10 n.m off Port Dickson.
Day40-on 24 Nov 1997
Oil in the form oftarball landed at the Tanjung Karang beach. Shore clean up
party was mobilised to clean the beach manually. More the 1 00 staff took three
weeks to clean up the beach. The rest ofthe oil slick moved northwestly into
Indonesian waters.
Annexe 1 ,2 and 3 show shows the movements of the oil slick from the location ofcollision through the Straits of Malacca.
3.

THREATAs the oil slick moved from the collision site northwards into the Straits ofMalacca the whole west coast of Peninsular Malaysia from Johor to Selangor wasexposed to the threat of the oil pollution. Beside the environment in general thefollowings were under major threat from the pollution : -4.

1.

The mangrove swamps and jungles

2.

Fish and prawn farm in the coastal areas

3.

The beach resorts along the coast

4.

Power plants cooling water intake at Port Dickson and Selangor

5.

Fishing grounds and activities

STRATEGIESThe following strategies were adopted by Malaysia throughout the incidents:
1.

To monitor the oil slick by air and surface surveillance2.

To protect high sensitive areas that were likely hit by the oilPage 35.

3.

To mobilise oil spill equipment and resources to areas under threat4.

To combat the oil only if its threatening to land onshore/beach

ACTION
5. 1

Malaysian National Oil Spill Contingency Plan ( NOSCP)On the fourth day of the spill, 18 October 1997 the NOSCP was activated in
preparation ofthe oil slick that was moving into Malaysian waters. The
Director of Marine Southern Region was appointed the On- Scene
Commander while the Director of Department of Environment Johorappointed as the Area Co-ordinator to co-ordinate all resources at statelevel. The command centre was set up at the Marine Department OfficeJohor Bahru.
As the oil moves northwards the command centre was moved to Marine
Department Office at Port Dickson on 28 October 1 997 and the Director Of
Marine Central Region appointed as the On Scene Commander.
On the 11 November 1 997 the command centre was moved to theDepartment of Environment Office in Shah Alam in lieu of the oil that has
now moved to offshore Selangor. Throughout the operation Marine
Department and Department of Environment played leading roles in coordinating the oil spill response activities and resources.

5.2

OIL SPILL RESPONSE
5.2.1 OFF JOHOR
The following actions were taken to combat the oil slick.
1. Monitoring of the oil movements were carried out by the air and surface
units. The air unit composed of the Royal Malaysian Air Force and Royal
Malaysian Police Air Wing, while surface unit from Marine Department,
Marine Police and Fisheries Department vessels.
2. Total of 600 meters of seasentineal booms from PIMMAG and 600 metres ofsea curtain booms from Marine Department were deployed to protect thefish farm at Kukup sensitive areas. On top ofthat plastic sheets were being
used to cover the fish cage in further effort to protect the fish from the oilslick.
3.

Dispersant (Corexit 9527) was placed on standby on board MV Lang Tiramand skimming was carried out using Foilex skimmer near Pulau Pisang.
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4.

Meanwhile the beach clean up party was ready to clean up any oil that may
hit the shore. More then fifty staffs from the Local Defence Force and otheragencies were mobilised for the above.

5.2.2 OFF MALACCA/ NEGERI SEMBILANThe following actions were taken:
1.

Monitoring of the oil by air and surface units.

2.

Booming of cooling water intake point of Port Dickson Power Plant.

3.

Local OSR resources of Sungai Udang Port and Port Dickson Esso and Shell
refineries were put on stand by.

4.

Oil spill equipment from PIMMAG and PAJ mobilised to the areas.

5.

PIMMAG Port Dickson base on frill alert.

6.

Shore clean up party on stand by to be mobilised if the oil comes closer then
3 n.m to the coast.

5.2.3 OFF SELANGOR
1.

Monitoring of the oil by air and surface units.

2.

Local OSR equipment from Marine Department, Port Authorities and PAJ
at Port Klang on stand by.

3 .

On 24 November 1 997 oil in the form of tarballs landed on the Tanjung
Karang beach. More then 100 staffs of the shore clean up parties weremobilised to clean the oil manually. It took them about three weeks to clean
up the beach.

5.3 RESOURCES MOBILISATION
Throughout the exercise equipment were being mobilised from the following
sources:1.

Marine Department
Surface Craft, Oil Booms, skimmers, manpower and other equipment2.

Department of Environment
Manpower, communications and resource souring and co-ordination
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3.

Royal Malaysian Police
Surface craft, Air surveillance and manpower

4.

Petroleum Industry Malaysia Mutual Aid Group ( PIMMAG)
Oil Booms, Skimmers, dispersents, absorbents, manpower and otherequipment

5.

Royal Malaysian Air Force
Air surveillance

6.

Petroleum Association of Japan ( PAJ)
Oil Booms, Skimmers and other equipment

7.

Local Authority and Local Defence Force
Manpower and shore clean up equipment

9.

Maritime Enforcement Co-ordination CentreEnforcement agencies resources and co-ordination

10.

Port Companies
Surface craft, communication and tier one oil spill equipment.

11 .

Fisheries Department
Surface crafts, manpower and fisheries' experts.

6.

LESSON LEARNED
Although the pollution occurred outside Malaysian waters, the threat and effectto Malaysia were real and effective measures were vital to minimise any effect on
Malaysian sensitive areas.
Some ofthe lesson learned during the incident were:1.

Effective information sharing between neighbouring states in oil spillincident is vital.

2.

Monitoring, tracking and simulation ofthe oil slick movements will
determine correct strategies for combating the oil slick.
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3.

Using of dispersent does not fully eliminate the oil slick threat instead it
will be transferred to other areas as the slick moved on.

4.

OSR plan has to be fully exercised and improved to ensure effectiveness inreal incident.

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