MARINE HONOUR, Singapore, 2024
14 June 2024
Incident
On 14th June 2024, the hopper dredger VOX MAXIMA lost control, colliding with tanker MARINE HONOUR while the latter was conducting bunker operations alongside container vessel EVER BLINK at Singapore’s Pasir Panjang Container Terminal. The impact ruptured one of the cargo tanks of MARINE HONOUR containing approximately 817 m³ of IFO 380 fuel oil, all of which was understood to have been released.
Driven by tidal currents, the spilled oil spread quickly east across Singapore, to affect popular recreational areas including the beaches of Sentosa and the public shorelines of East Coast Park. Environmentally sensitive locations, such as Sisters’ Islands Marine Park and St John’s Island were also affected. Due to the proximity of the spill to anchorage zones, numerous commercial vessels and pleasure craft, including those berthed in several marinas, sustained hull contamination. The spill impacted more than 60 kilometres of Singapore’s coastline, as well as ~5.5 kilometres of shoreline in Malaysia.
Response
The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) undertook aerial surveillance using drones and aircraft, including joint flights with ITOPF, and managed the situation initially within the scope of a port-level response. However, observations and reports of oil contamination along the shores of Sentosa and East Coast Park prompted the MPA to escalate the response. A multi-agency coordination group was convened with key stakeholders, including the National Environment Agency (NEA), ITOPF and others, to coordinate a national response.
The casualty’s insurer initiated a shipowner-backed response, appointing consultants Solis Marine to oversee both salvage and pollution response efforts. These operations were conducted under the close oversight and collaboration of the MPA and NEA. T&T Salvage was designated as the primary salvor, with clean-up contractors including T&T Salvage, Resolve Marine, Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) and Netline engaged to carry out shoreline and marine recovery work in Singapore.
Twice-daily stakeholder meetings were held from the outset to maintain clear lines of communication in Singapore and ensure unified command and control. This structure enabled swift mobilization of resources and a dynamic response to evolving environmental conditions. The response utilised a variety of techniques on shore, including manual recovery, high-pressure washing, and low-pressure flushing. At the peak of operations, over 500 personnel were engaged daily in cleanup activities.
Clean up in Malaysia was undertaken by contractor PVE under the shipowner-backed response, supervised by the Malaysian Department of Environment.
Clean-up efforts concluded in Malaysia and Singapore in July and October 2024 respectively, marking the end of an intensive and collaborative response. MARINE HONOUR was towed successfully to dry dock in July.
Conventions and claims
Both Singapore and Malaysia are parties to the 1992 Civil Liability and Fund Conventions, under which this incident qualified for compensation. To facilitate the claims process, a dedicated claims submission office (CSO) was established in Singapore in July 2024 by the insurer and the IOPC Funds. As of November 2025, a total of 589 claims had been submitted to the CSO, with an estimated total value of ~SGD73 million (~USD57 million). These included claims for clean-up and preventive measures, property damage, losses in the tourism and fisheries sectors, loss of hire and contractor fees.
Most property damage claims relate to the cleaning of commercial vessel hulls affected in the early stages of the spill, as well as oiled property and equipment. Significant claims were made for the cleaning of pleasure craft, particularly from the two main marinas in western Singapore. Claims for Fisheries disruption claims were submitted from affected regions in Malaysia. Claims were submitted from the Singaporean government agencies involved in response and mitigation activities, as well as costs incurred by the shipowner and their insurer in the response.
As of September 2025, the 1992 Fund had approved 212 claims with payments made of SGD3.7 million and USD17.8 million.
ITOPF involvement
ITOPF was mobilised to assist on site on 14th June 2024, shortly after the incident occurred.
Within Singapore, ITOPF’s technical staff had a central role in the response. Being integrated fully into the MPA command structure, they provided technical advice across all stakeholders on appropriate response techniques, waste disposal and on ways to mitigate and measure pollution damage to sensitivities including fisheries and tourism. ITOPF technical advisers engaged also in aerial, on-water and shoreline surveys to understand the dynamic level and extent of oiling, among other tasks.
Collaboration with the Singaporean authorities was strong, reflecting years of engagement and the establishment of ITOPF’s Singapore office. While this local presence enabled rapid initial engagement, the scale of the incident necessitated deployment of additional resources from ITOPF’s London office. An ITOPF technical adviser attended also on site to advise on the response and extent of damage in Malaysia.
With the expectation of a major claims workload, several members of ITOPF’s Technical Support Team were involved from the outset to assist with the real-time review of contractor rates and cost sheets. ITOPF staff were instrumental in the prompt assessment of invoices and claims for both the insurer and the IOPC Funds.
This early and sustained involvement by ITOPF staff, at the request of the insurer, the IOPC Funds and national authorities, served to support both the clean-up operations and the cost recovery process.
On 2nd October 2024, ITOPF participated in a ceremony hosted by the Singapore NEA, attended by the Minister for Environment, honouring all parties involved in the clean-up effort.