The pristine waters of Keppel Bay is home to a rich sanctuary of corals and marine life – by design.
Delve underwater at Keppel Bay and you’ll find a rich kaleidoscope of coral and marine life. From brightly-coloured clownfish to tiger tail seahorses, a panoply of water-dwelling flora and fauna have made their homes under developments in the area such as Keppel Land’s Marina at Keppel Bay and Corals at Keppel Bay.
Hard and soft corals, sea fans, anemones and reef fishes of all kinds, for instance, have been thriving in the waters at the marina. Built on an open plan concept, the marina allows water to flow through its entirety during tide changes. As the currents wash through the marina, they bring nutrients and plankton essential to nurturing the underwater plants, creatures and corals.
During the construction of Corals at Keppel Bay, a residential condominium, Keppel Land also took care to protect the waterfront site’s marine ecology and preserved its healthy coral habitats. Keppel Land will also help the corals to grow further through a coral seeding project with industry experts.
To protect the wildlife, Marina at Keppel Bay also instituted other measures to keep man-made harm at bay. It was the first marina in Singapore to install a complex pump-out system so vessels can discharge their sewage into a septic tank and not into the waters.
Boat owners are also encouraged to use biodegradable washing liquids and detergents to clean their vessels. To further ensure marine life flourishes, Marina at Keppel Bay removes any floating debris that drifts into its waters and disallows fishing in its premises to maintain a natural balance among the different underwater species.
Winning over wildlife watchers
Literally showing people how it’s done, Marina at Keppel Bay sends divers into the water regularly to chart the growth of the corals, animals, fishes and plants through photography. Nature groups and wildlife activists who have gone on such dives and captured stunning images of the underwater world have praised Marina at Keppel Bay’s environmental work.
Nature enthusiast Ria Tan noted in a September 2015 post on her website WildSingapore that coral reefs have settled naturally at the marina and drawn a panoply of marine life from feather worms to sea fans. “The rich marine life is a testament to Marina at Keppel Bay’s efforts to control the environmental impact of boating activities and keep the marina’s waters clean,” she wrote.
The thriving wildlife has also been documented by groups such as the Hantu Blog, a non-profit, volunteer dive organisation that aims to safeguard Singapore’s natural marine heritage, and the Blue Water Volunteers, a non-government marine conservation group. Their images are available on the Marina at Keppel Bay’s website.
Nods from abroad
Farther afield, regional organisations such as the Marina Industries Association based in Sydney, Australia, have given Marina at Keppel Bay kudos for its eco-consciousness. In 2015, Marina at Keppel Bay became Asia’s first marina to be awarded the association’s “fish-friendly marina” status for its high standards in environmental stewardship and efforts to conserve marine and coral life.
Marina at Keppel Bay’s blossoming underwater life is an example to others. As WildSingapore’s Ms Tan puts it: “Singapore has rich and amazing marine life. It is possible to have more if we study what is going on and give nature a helping hand.”