The urban marine environment of Singapore

• Published in: Regional studies in marine science 2016-11, Vol.8, p.331-339
• Main Authors: Sin, Tsai Min, Ang, Hwee Peng, Buurman, Joost, Lee, Ai Chin, Leong, Yi Lin, Ooi, Seng Keat, Steinberg, Peter, Teo, Serena Lay-Ming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Environmental contaminants; Singapore; Tropical coastal water quality; Urban marine environment
• ISSN: 2352-4855; 2352-4855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2016.01.011

The island Republic of Singapore lies on the nexus between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, in the equatorial tropics of the South China Sea. With her strategic geographic location and natural harbour, Singapore has grown into a major global transhipment hub, with an estimated 130,000 vessel arrivals per year navigating within 600 km2 of sea space. The coastal environment around Singapore has also changed dramatically over the last 50 years as a result of ambitious urban coastal development projects to accommodate aspirations of a population of 5.54 million people settled within a land area of 718.3 km2. This paper provides a review of the physical environment of the marine waters around Singapore. As characteristic of urban coastal cities, anthropogenic sources of contaminants have been reported in the coastal environment. Overall, patterns of environment contamination reflect the changing social and economic activity, and evolving awareness of environment impacts of different pollutants. Early studies consisted of spatially and temporally limited sampling efforts which were not always informative of causative factors. However, recent introduction of advanced chemical detection tools and high resolution hydrodynamic modelling has opened the door for new studies to revisit and understand the dynamic nature of our physical environment. •Ambitious coastal development over the past 50 years has changed the coastal environment of Singapore such that >60% manmade seawalls.•Patterns of environment contamination reflect strong connectivity with changing economic activities on land and sea.•Limited earlier sampling efforts provide indications of environment pollutants but not conclusive in identifying causative factors.•The introduction of advanced chemical detection tools and high resolution hydrodynamic modelling allow better understanding of the dynamic urban physical environment.