Pulau Busing is an offshore island south of Singapore, near Pulau Bukom.1 It had a land area of 2.5 ha before reclamation.2 Heavily industrialised, the island is home to oil and chemical storage facilities,3 at least one marine offshore terminal,4 and a fuel oil refinery.5 Together with Jurong Island and the neighouring offshore islands, Pulau Busing is part of the integrated storage and trading hub that was developed by Jurong Town Corporation.6 Pulau Busing is an important feeding and roosting ground for migratory shore birds.7
Land use
Like Pulau Bukom, Pulau Busing has seen major land reclamation to its southern shores. It is heavily industrialised, being home to oil and chemical storage facilities, at least one marine offshore terminal,8 and a fuel oil refinery. One of the companies operating on the island is Tankstore, an oil storage company. Tankstore runs a 600,000-cubic-metre facility on Pulau Busing.9 Another company formerly located on the island was CBI Overseas, a manufacturer of oil and chemical storage tanks.10 The Gadgil Western Group also had oil refinery on Pulau Busing which processed one million tonnes of oil annually.11
In August 2003, the Jurong Town Corporation announced plans to include Pulau Busing in its development of Jurong Island and its neighbouring offshore islands into an integrated storage and trading hub.12 The massive chemical logistics park would help manufacturers ship out their chemical products.13 On Pulau Busing, 44 ha of reclaimed land would be allocated to logistics management.14 The reclaimed site was also considered for a mega-desalination facility, one of six sites for such a facility.15
On 22 January 1997,16 a major oil spill from a tanker at the Busing Terminal polluted the island’s waters, necessitating a cleanup operation by the Ministry of Environment and the Nature Society (Singapore).17 The Nature Society stated that Pulau Busing is a feeding and roosting ground for migratory shore birds, and called for greater efforts to save birdlife on this and other islands affected by the spill.18 In response, the government emphasised its determination to proceed with the cleanup on these islands.19
The sea between the Pulau Busing and Pulau Sudong (west of Pulau Bukom) is used as a graveyard for old boats. Tongkang (barges) and other boats that are no longer of value are sunk there.20
Author
Khor Kok Kheng
References
1. Two Dutch firms win reclamation tender. (1983, March 23). The Straits Times, p. 8. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Wai, R. (1982, June 19). JTC plans oil terminal on tiny island. The Straits Times, p. 12. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Aggarwal, N. (2003, August 23). Chemicals logistics park opens in Jurong Island. The Straits Times, p. 30. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
4. Builders told: Higher skills the way to go. (1994, December 2). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. Man stole fuel oil worth $1.9m. (1999, September 24). The Straits Times, p. 48. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Aggarwal, N. (2003, August 23). Chemicals logistics park opens in Jurong Island. The Straits Times, p. 30. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Ho, H. C. (1997, November 1). Oil spill: Do more to save birdlife on islands. The Straits Times, p. 66. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. Builders told: Higher skills the way to go. (1994, December 2). The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. Oiltanking planning phase 4 of its expansion in Pulau Seraya terminal. (1993, July 6). The Straits Times, p. 40. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
10. Dhaliwal, R. (1993, November 26). 4 firms win new award for safety excellence . The Straits Times, p. 26. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
11. Software consortium fuel-oil refinery among 4 projects in the offing. (1996, January 7). The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
12. Aggarwal, N. (2003, August 23). Chemicals logistics park opens in Jurong Island. The Straits Times, p. 30. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
13. Aggarwal, N. (2003, August 23). Chemicals logistics park opens in Jurong Island. The Straits Times, p. 30. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
14. Guevarra, V. (2003, April 25). Fall in demand for factory space amid uncertainty. The Straits Times, p. 16. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
15. Aggarwal, N. (2003, August 23). Chemicals logistics park opens in Jurong Island. The Straits Times, p. 30. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
16. Oil leaks from tanker at Pulau Busing. (1997, January 23). The Straits Times, p. 34. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
17. Islands to be cleaned of oil to save birds. (1997, November 11). The Straits Times, p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
18. Ho, H. C. (1997, November 1). Oil spill: Do more to save birdlife on islands. The Straits Times, p. 66. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
19. Chew, B. (1997, November 11). Islands to be cleaned of oil to save birds. The Straits Times, p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
20. Nadarajan, B. (2004, May 15). Where old boats go to die. The Straits Times, p. 11. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
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