Singapore authorities are scrambling to clean up a major oil spill that has blackened the city-state's southern coastline, days after a shipping accident. On Friday, a Netherlands-flagged dredging boat crashed into a Singaporean fuel ship moored in the shipping straits off the nation. Authorities said the dredger's loss of engine power led it to drift into the Singaporean vessel, puncturing its oil tank. At least half the oil in its tank, about 400 tonnes, spilled out, with large quantities washed ashore. "The allision caused a rupture of one of the Marine Honour's oil cargo tanks, and its contents of low-sulphur fuel oil were released to the sea," Singapore maritime and environment agencies said in a joint statement. Visitors to some of the beach clubs on the popular resort island of Sentosa reported the water was still dark and oily and a smell lingered three days after the incident. Swimming and other sea activities are prohibited for now in Sentosa, while several beaches across the country are closed until further notice. There are concerns for wildlife - with reports from responders of sea snails and other creatures coated in oil. However, initial biodiversity surveys have come back with no major damage reported. “No significant impact to marine biodiversity had been observed, though oil was observed on the roots of some mangrove plants in the area," Dr Karenne Tun from the National Parks Board told the city's Straits Times newspaper. However volunteers taking part in the clean up say it could still be too early to tell. "It is a good sign that we did not see any wildlife in distress today, but we will have to monitor the situation. It could take a while before we see the true impacts from the oil spill," Kua Kay Yaw told the newspaper. Reuters   A plastic bottle coated in the slick Reuters   Workers in full body suits cleaning up the oil spill at the tourist attraction Tanjong Beach on Sunday   About 1,500 people have volunteered to help with the clean-up, the Singaporean government said. But most of the work is being carried out by contracted workers - with several seen on the sands of Sentosa on Sunday, shovelling blackened heaps and picking through the oily surf. On Monday morning, a staff member at a beach club metres away from the tourist beach said the water was "still black" "The beach is open but you just can't go into the water, it's still not clean," Siobhan Chan told the BBC. SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT   The struck vessel began leaking oil into the sea The government says it has deployed about 1.5km of oil-absorbent container booms near the beaches as well as off public park waterways at East Coast Park, West Coast Park and Labrador Nature Reserve. The operation on the water to clean up the spill has also involved spraying dispersant chemicals to "break down the surface oil into droplets to enhance biodegration", the joint statement from authorities read. But such treated oil suspended in water could still be "carried by tidal currents to coastlines". Authorities said "oil sheen" had also been detected in the waters surrounding the protected Sisters' Islands Marine Park, which is closed to the public for coral reef and marine life protection. Singapore is a major shipping and fuel bunkering hub - and hundreds of ships dot the city state's southern coastline.

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heng i cant remember when the last time pay so much for a durain

Durians in Singapore are being sold at S$48 to S$58 per kilogram, high prices shock customers Would you shell out almost S$60 for a kilogram of durian? Because that’s what you’ll have to fork out for the ‘Tupai King’ durian at a fruit stall in Chinatown. Source: Shin Min Daily News More purportedly ultra-rare varieties of the divisive king of fruits have surfaced in Geylang, sparking debate among customers due to their exorbitant prices. While some find these prices outrageous, others believe they are worth it. ‘Green Skin King’ & ‘Black Gold’ durians priced at up to S$58/kg in Geylang Shin Min Daily News readers alerted the Chinese paper to the emergence of intriguing new durian varieties in Singapore — along with their eye-popping price tags. Sure enough, when reporters visited fruit stalls in the Geylang area, they discovered ‘Green Skin King’ and ‘Black Gold’ durians commanding a hefty price range of S$48 to S$58 per kilogram. These varieties were marketed as “champion” durians, seemingly to justify their premium pricing. Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook Similarly, another fruit stall along Trengganu Street in Chinatown was found selling ‘Tupai King’ durians at S$58 per kilogram. The shopkeeper explained that due to its rarity, supply is limited, justifying the steep cost. However, he acknowledged that taste preferences vary, cautioning that high prices don’t guarantee universal appeal. He also noted that most customers at the stall are tourists.   Export-quality Musang King durians priced at S$48 per kg Meanwhile, Shin Min Daily News also came across ‘Fei Ji Mao’ durians at a stall on Upper Cross Street. These were going at S$48 per kilogram. Source: Shin Min Daily News Stall owner Zhang Chaosheng (transliterated from Mandarin) explained that these durians are part of the prized Musang King variety and that they grow on old trees at high altitudes. Their unique name comes from their extensive export history to places like Hong Kong and China before being introduced to Singapore. “These are Musang King durians that have ‘sat on a plane and flown overseas’,” Mr. Zhang said. ‘Fei Ji’ translates to ‘plane’ in Mandarin, while ‘Mao’ originates from ‘Mao Shan Wang’, the Chinese name for Musang King. Mr Zhang emphasised that these are Grade A fruits sourced from the fertile soils of the Raub district in Pahang, Malaysia. “Since they are exported to foreign countries, they are considered the best of the best,” he concluded. Some customers think high prices of durians are worth it Customers that Shin Min Daily News spoke to expressed varied opinions on whether the steep prices justified the purchase. A couple tried durians in Singapore for the first time and found them more delicious compared to those in China. They spent S$40 on what they believed to be Musang King durians. “It may seem expensive, but considering the portion, taste, and texture, it’s worth it,” remarked the woman, 32-year-old Ms Ye. She noted that in China, even average-quality durians can fetch 250 yuan (S$47). Fruit stall vendors confirmed that some customers are willing to splurge on ‘Tupai King’ durians at S$58 a kilo. However, others are taken aback by the high price.