07 March 2002

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has established a Maritime Research and Development (R&D) Advisory Panel to advise and guide the MPA in formulating a maritime R&D strategic plan for Singapore. Mr Peter Ho, Chairman, MPA presented Letters of Appointment to the 14 members at a lunch held at The Regent Hotel today. The tenure of the appointment is two years.

Mr Peter Ho, Chairman, MPA said, "Singapore is positioning itself to become a leading hub for research and development. In line with this development, port and maritime R&D has been identified as one of the key driving forces for Singapore's growth as an International Maritime Centre, IMC. To be a centre of excellence for maritime R&D, we need to foster a culture of maritime research and innovation among our academia as well as the shipping community. We will need to grow a strong pool of research talents that can produce high quality research, and develop commercially viable port and maritime applications and services that could be marketed locally and internationally."

To undertake these challenges, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, Minister for Transport had in October 2001 announced the formation of a Maritime R&D Advisory Panel for Singapore. Its membership was to be drawn from the maritime industry, academia, the MPA, as well as other related government agencies.

The newly established Advisory Panel will be chaired by Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, Deputy President, Nanyang Technological University (NTU). It will comprise leaders from cross-disciplinary fields including science, engineering, logistics, marine biology, environmental technology and information technology (IT). (Refer to Annex for List of Members).

The diversity in the members' expertise and knowledge will contribute to the drawing up of a forward-looking and innovative industry-wide maritime R&D road map for Singapore.

Over the next two years, the Advisory Panel will look into the following areas:

(a) Identify the various maritime sectors and activities in Singapore with R&D potential;

(b) Advise on the technological developments and advances as well as impending world-wide maritime regulatory requirements that the maritime industry could capitalise on in the maritime R&D programme;

(c) Develop a list of potential R&D areas and projects within the identified sectors and sub-sectors;

(d) Identify a list of R&D projects with industry-wide interest and participation;
(e) Recommend suitable agency or agencies to lead in R&D projects;

(f) Advise on the setting of R&D targets;
(g) Advise and provide feedback on promoting R&D in the industry and developing Singapore into a Centre for Port and Maritime Excellence; and
(h) Assist in establishing links with local research institutes and between local and foreign research institutes.

End of release.

ANNEX

MPA MARITIME R&D ADVISORY PANEL

Members

Chairman:

1. Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, Deputy President, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Members:

2. Associate Professor Chan Eng Soon, Director, Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI)

3. Chang Chin Nam, Deputy Director, Logistics & Transport Cluster, Economic Development Board (EDB)

4. Associate Professor Choo Yoo Sang, National University of Singapore (NUS)

5. Dr Leong Thin Yin, Senior Vice-President, Information Technology, PSA Corporation

6. Robert Loseth, Managing Director, Det Norske Veritas Pte Ltd (DNV)

7. Loh Kok Choy, Divisional Director, Local Enterprise Division, Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (PSB)

8. Ng Chong Khim, President, Communications & Sensor Systems Group, Singapore Technologies Electronics Ltd

9. Swapan Das Sarma, Director, Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA)

10. Professor Tay Joo Hwa, Acting Director, Environmental Technology Institute (ETI)

11. Dr Rajendran Thampuran, Deputy Director, Electronics & Manufacturing Technology Section, Science & Engineering Research Council, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR)

12. Toh Ah Cheong, Director, Technology, Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)

13. Wong Heng Chew, Managing Director, Sun Microsystems Singapore

14. Wong Wai Kheong, Director, E-Business Transformation/Manufacturing & Logistics Online Development, InfoComm Development Authority of Singapore (iDA)