The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding today to jointly establish a Graduate Diploma in Maritime and Port Management (GDMPM) Programme for the shipping industry. The signatories of the MOU will be Mr Lee Seng Kong, Senior Director, MPA and Professor Ng Wun Jern, Dean of Engineering, NUS. The MOU signing ceremony, to be held from 1145hrs at the MPA's Port Operations Control Centre 2 (POCC2), also marks the inauguration of the Programme, which begins its first run from 4 Mar - 20 May 2002.

The GDMPM Programme is the latest initiative in the MPA's efforts, in conjunction with the NUS Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, to develop Singapore as a centre of excellence for maritime training. The Programme is unique because this is the first time Singapore will have a graduate level programme befitting its status as one of the best ports, and indeed, the busiest port in the world. Hence, this Programme serves to reinforce Singapore's leading position in port and maritime management.

The GDMPM Programme aims to enhance the knowledge and management skills of shipping professionals and executives in the port and maritime sector. Tapping into the wealth of experience and expertise of the MPA, NUS and PSA Corporation, the Programme offers its students a unique combination of both the theoretical and the operational elements of port and maritime management. The Programme is targeted at managers, executives and operational personnel from port and maritime administrations, port terminal operators, and private organisations in the port and shipping industry.

The Programme is conducted full-time over 11 weeks, and its contents include:

• Topics on port terminal management, port planning, marine operations management, and maritime management and law;
• Issues relating to transportation economics and development;
• Projects, case studies and seminar discussions to facilitate application of knowledge acquired; and
• Site visits and briefings of key port and maritime facilities

Interested participants have the flexibility of attending the full programme or only selected modules. Candidates with recognised university degrees will be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Maritime and Port Management, upon completion of the full 11-week course and meeting its requirements. Those without university degrees may choose to enrol in the Diploma programme in Maritime and Port Management. Those who attend the Programme on a modular basis will be awarded Certificates of Successful Completion or Certificates of Attendance upon completion of the individual modules and their requirements.

The first run of the GDMPM Programme sees 22 participants from 12 countries, from as nearby as Indonesia and Thailand, and as far away as Africa and Mexico. Of these, 6 are attending the Programme under the MPA-MFA Fellowship Award, which was specially created jointly by the MPA and the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), to provide assistance to officials of foreign maritime administrations.

Mr Chen Tze Penn, Director General of the MPA, said, "The GDMPM Programme demonstrates the MPA's commitment to the development of human capital in Singapore's port and maritime sector. Internationally, it represents Singapore's contribution to quality shipping by offering an avenue for maritime professionals to keep updated with the latest in port and maritime management skills and know-how. The Programme brings the already close working relationship between the MPA and the NUS to an even higher level."

In his address, Prof Ng Wun Jern, Dean of Engineering, NUS, said, "While Singapore has the best port in the world, we do not have, before today, any graduate level educational programme in this area that matches the status of our port. I see this programme as a necessary step to reinforce Singapore's unique world leading position in port and maritime management."

More detailed information on the GDMPM Programme may be obtained from the MPA website at the following URL: http://www.mpa.gov.sg/homepage/programmes/gdmpm-announce.html

End of release.