Singapore, 17 April 2016

Minister Khaw Boon Wan opens Singapore Maritime Week 2016

Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, officially opened Singapore Maritime Week today, a flagship event driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). In its eleventh year, SMW 2016 opened at the site of the SMW 2016 Exhibition; Our Maritime Singapore Stories, at Marina Square and will continue its run over 30 events throughout the week to 22 April.

Close to 30,000 public participants and high-level delegates representing port authorities, CEOs, industry leaders, and maritime experts worldwide are expected to attend these events. One highlight is the Singapore Maritime Lecture with keynote speaker Mr Kristian Siem, Chairman of Siem Industries – a diversified holding company engaged in the oil and gas services industry and renewable energy sector, ocean transportation and finance.

The SMW 2016 theme, Positioning for Future Growth, follows the SMW focus areas of “People, Ideas and Opportunities”. SMW will continue as a key platform to promote thought leadership and business opportunities across the maritime sector, as well as offer fruitful networking opportunities. The annual event also showcases Singapore's vibrant maritime cluster via a series of business events and public outreach activities.

“Amidst the global downturn in the shipping industry, SMW 2016 offers a platform for the industry to jointly address the challenges. If we work together, we can better overcome the problems. This year’s SMW has also targeted the public, with various outreach events. They will get to know more about Singapore’s maritime sector and the many career opportunities it offers,” said Mr Khaw.

For the first time, the Singapore Shipping Association will be bringing two Offshore Support Vessels to the waterfront of Vivo city. The vessels will be opened to the public so they can get a glimpse of these sophisticated vessels. At the opening event, Mr Khaw together with industry and union representatives, also unveiled the new Maritime Singapore logo as part of an initiative to raise greater awareness about the industry and to promote and profile maritime careers.

Members of the public can also look forward to more public outreach events, such as the week-long maritime exhibition at Marina Square. Visitors can witness a showcase of collaborations and partnerships on maritime-based projects by schools and the industry. With the spotlight on interactive displays of maritime technologies, the exhibition also provides immersive learning experiences and deeper understanding of Maritime Singapore through stories, projects and play.

Besides the exhibition, members of the public can participate in other outreach activities such as the SMW MPA Learning Journeys, and “Memoirs of City Port Scenes” art exhibition that will be held during the week of SMW in April. These complement the on-going efforts by MPA to generate more public interest in the maritime sector.

Please refer to Annex A for write ups on all the SMW 2016 events.

Please refer to Annex B for the Factsheet on Maritime Singapore.

Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) is the leading maritime event in Singapore. Driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), SMW gathers the international maritime community in Singapore for a week of conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and social events in celebration of all things maritime. The range of activities and events organised by MPA, the industry, and research and educational institutions, as well as the cosmopolitan profile of participants, reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore as a major international maritime centre.

SMW has grown in significance since the inaugural event in 2006, and is attracting more participants and event organisers from around the world. Participants can experience something new every year, as activities are added to the line-up, and as eminent speakers share their insights and participate in dialogues on topical maritime issues. This dynamism and the good range of issues discussed during SMW are major draws for maritime decision-makers, as are the many business networking platforms. This is why Singapore Maritime Week is all about PEOPLE, IDEAS and OPPORTUNITIES for the maritime community.

For more information and the full calendar of events, please visit www.smw.sg