Bunga Alpinia

The incident

On the 26th July 2012, the Bunga Alpina was in dock at Labuan Port, Malaysia when a fire broke out during loading of a 6-tonne cargo of methanol. Three violent explosions followed onboard which led to the deaths of five crew members.

Response at sea

Booms were rapidly deployed around the tanker to contain the spill. Dispersant spraying was tested but was found to be inefficient due to the viscosity of the pollutant (heavy fuel oil). A slick drifted into Victoria Bay and reached the shoreline.

Response on land

To preserve fisheries activity, affected quays were decontaminated. Houses and pleasure craft were cleaned by local inhabitants. High pressure cleaning was recommended in areas where manual cleaning was not possible. The mangrove swamp was not heavily contaminated so the decision was made not to take any action in these sensitive areas.