Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Singapore Maritime Foundation,
and The Singapore Scout Association Ink MOU to
Promote Maritime Awareness and Youth Outreach

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) and The Singapore Scout Association (SSA) have collaborated to set up a Youth Maritime Advisory Board to promote awareness and interest in the maritime industry, and its careers among the youth and scouts in Singapore.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to set up the Youth Maritime Advisory Board was signed today by MPA Chief Executive, Mr Andrew Tan, SMF Executive Director, Mr David Chin, and SSA Chief Commissioner, Mr Tan Cheng Kiong, at the SMF New Year Cocktail Reception 2014. The MOU signing was also witnessed by Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Minister for Transport, Mr Michael Chia, Chairman of the Singapore Maritime Foundation and Professor Leo Tan, Vice-President of the Singapore Scout Association.

The Youth Maritime Advisory Board, comprising industry representatives, will drive efforts to encourage youth participation in maritime-related programmes and activities, develop and organise maritime-related programmes for the scouts, as well as to support and facilitate discussions pertaining to maritime promotion and youth outreach.

One of the key initiatives identified by the Board is the Young Mariner's Badge Programme. Under the intended programme, Cub Scouts from Primary Schools and Scouts from Secondary Schools can better appreciate the vibrant and diverse maritime industry in Singapore by completing a list of maritime-related activities in order to attain the badge.

A total of eight primary and secondary schools participated in the pilot run of the programme since October 2013, namely: Yangzheng Primary School, De La Salle School, St Andrew's Junior School, South View Primary School, Queenstown Secondary School, Chua Chu Kang Secondary School, Fuhua Secondary School and Bukit Merah Secondary School. The Cub Scouts and Scouts from these eight schools successfully completed their programmes, and student representatives from the schools received their Young Mariner's Badge from Minister Lui today. With the successful completion of the pilot programme, the Young Mariner's Badge Programme is now ready to be rolled out to the other schools in phases.

The signing of the MOU signified another milestone for the SSA as they continually review their strategic thrusts to ensure that they continue to provide the best youth development programme here in Singapore. The impending revamp of the existing maritime programme through the efforts of the Youth Maritime Advisory Board hopes to cater to the ever-growing interest in the maritime industry amongst the youth.

Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA said, "The maritime industry plays a very important part in Singapore's economy. Today, we are delighted to partner SMF and the SSA to reach out to the youth to raise awareness of the maritime industry and its exciting career opportunities, through greater education and outreach. We will be stepping up our efforts in the coming months."

Mr David Chin, Executive Director of SMF said, "The Singapore Maritime Foundation is constantly on the lookout for new partners and new initiatives to raise the profile of the Singapore maritime industry. We are happy to have like-minded partners like MPA and SSA, and we hope the students will enjoy learning more about the maritime industry through the Young Mariner's Badge Programme."

Mr Tan Cheng Kiong, Chief Commissioner of SSA shared, "This is a significant milestone for the SSA as the renewed approach to the maritime programme was developed after many rounds of consultations with educational and industry partners, in particular MPA and SMF. This consultative approach ensures that the development of our youth programme is aligned and relevant to the industry and our society."

MPA partners SMF & Spore Scouts Assn to engage youths and promote maritime awareness

End of Release.

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. 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. 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 the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF)
Established in 2004, the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) is a private sector-led organisation that seeks to develop and promote Singapore as an International Maritime Centre (IMC). As the representative voice for the commercial players of the maritime industry, SMF seeks to forge strong partnerships with the public and private sectors of the maritime industry. SMF spearheads initiatives to promote the diverse clusters of the maritime industry in Singapore and at international frontiers, and to attract young talents to join the sector. SMF is directed by its Board of Directors which comprises prominent leaders in the Singapore maritime community. For details, visit www.smf.com.sg

About the Singapore Scout Association (SSA)
The Singapore Scout Association (SSA) through its mission of Scouting, has contributed to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.