3 August 2009
Despite the economic downturn, the maritime community is stepping up efforts to attract bright young talent to the maritime sector.
This is part of efforts by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) and the maritime industry in Singapore to continue investments in manpower development, as so to better position the industry for the upturn.
MPA and key maritime industry players awarded a total of 40 outstanding students with scholarships and sponsorships at the MPA and MaritimeONE Scholarship Awards Ceremony on 3 August. Of these students, 24 will be pursuing their bachelor degrees and 16 will be pursuing diploma studies at the Singapore Maritime Academy in Singapore Polytechnic.
The scholarships and sponsorships given out included the MPA Scholarships, MPA Sponsorships, Tripartite Maritime Scholarship Scheme (TMSS), Seafaring Alternative, An Investment For Life (SAIL) scholarships and MaritimeONE Scholarships.
"Despite the downturn, the maritime community remains very supportive of the scholarships and sponsorships under the MaritimeONE initiative," said MPA chairman Mr Lucien Wong, who presented the scholarships at the ceremony. "I would like to thank our maritime industry and the Singapore Maritime Foundation for their continued commitment to grow and nurture maritime talent."
Organised for the second time, the joint MPA and MaritimeONE Scholarship Awards Ceremony reflects the successful partnership between MPA, maritime companies and institutes of higher learning to enhance maritime education and create a ready pool of professionals to drive the development of Singapore as an international maritime centre.
"We are pleased to announce that there are a total of 17 MaritimeONE Scholarships this year, up from 14 at the inaugural awards ceremony last year," said Mr S.S. Teo, chairman of the MaritimeONE Steering Committee and SMF. "These scholarships are worth S$438,500, adding to over S$1.6 million committed by maritime businesses to the MaritimeONE Scholarship since its launch in 2007. This marks the strong pledge by the maritime industry to grow the maritime talent pool in Singapore."
The MaritimeONE Scholarships are funded by sponsoring maritime companies. For 2009, the six sponsoring companies are Lloyd's Register Educational Trust, Pacific Carriers Limited, Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd, Singapore Maritime Academy in Singapore Polytechnic, SMA-SMTC-Global (S) Pte Ltd, and TORM Singapore Pte Ltd.
Selected from 687 applicants, the 40 recipients of the scholarships and sponsorships will be pursuing higher education at prestigious local and overseas universities and the Singapore Maritime Academy in Singapore Polytechnic.
<End of Release>
Jointly issued by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and MaritimeONE
About the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was established on 2 February 1996, with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre (IMC), and to advance and safeguard Singapore's strategic maritime interests. The MPA is the driving force behind Singapore's port and maritime development, taking on the roles of Port Authority, Port Regulator, Port Planner, IMC Champion, and National Maritime Representative. The MPA partners the industry and other agencies to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in our port waters, facilitate port operations and growth, expand the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime R&D and manpower development.
About MaritimeONE
Launched in April 2007, MaritimeONE (Outreach Network) is a key platform for all maritime stakeholders to collectively raise the awareness of the maritime industry and attract new entrants into the industry. Besides the networking receptions, the other MaritimeONE partnership activities include scholarships, student internships at maritime companies and student outreach activities.
The MaritimeONE Steering Committee comprises Mr Teo Siong Seng, Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation; Mr Lam Yi Young, Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore; Mr Wong Weng Sun, President, Association of Singapore Marine Industries; and Mr Patrick Phoon, Councillor, Singapore Shipping Association.
