Singapore Maritime Week 2013 Kicks Off With Activities Galore

There was something for everyone with activities galore at the launch of the Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2013. Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Mrs Josephine Teo, was the guest of honour at the launch of SMW 2013 today at Plaza Singapura.

SMW is Singapore's iconic maritime event and recognised as a key platform for the maritime community to come together in celebration of all things maritime. SMW has grown in size and significance since its inception in 2006. This year, SMW features 25 events and like previous years, it comprises several outreach programmes reaching out to the local community, as well as a fresh line-up of conferences, business and networking events for the maritime community. SMW is organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

This morning, a record number of over 1000 participants from both the public and the maritime community took part in the Amazing Maritime Adventure. Besides competing for the top prizes, more than 120 company teams and more than 40 school teams also competed for the new prize categories of Best Company Team and Best School Team respectively.

Participants were flagged off at Plaza Singapura and competed in various maritime-themed games, quizzes and activities at Marina South Pier, Marina Barrage and Singapore Management University. The activities were designed to help participants learn more about the exciting and vibrant maritime industry.

The Amazing Maritime Adventure was jointly organised by MPA, the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) and the Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI).

Team 'Walking Man Running Lady' from PSA Corporation Ltd came in tops as the Champion team and the Best Company Team. The Best School Team was 'Fordon' from the Singapore Institute of Technology. They walked away with a total of more than S$3,000 in cash prizes.

Mr Tan Ming Hui from the Champion team 'Walking Man Running Lady', shared, "We are very happy that team spirit and chemistry helped us to win the race. Through this Amazing Maritime Adventure, our knowledge about the history of Maritime Singapore is strengthened and we also learnt about the vibrancy and diversity of the maritime industry."

For the first time this year, members of the public had the opportunity to visit two satellite exhibitions at VivoCity and nex shopping malls, in addition to the main exhibition at Plaza Singapura. Themed "An Insight into Maritime Singapore", the exhibitions featured interesting fun facts about Maritime Singapore through cross-sections, blueprints and interactive exhibits. The three exhibitions which attracted more than 60,000 visitors over a week from 1 April, ends today.

Making a colourful presence on display at the SMW exhibition in Plaza Singapura were the winning and shortlisted entries from the SMW T-shirt Design Competition. Jointly organised by MPA, SMF, SSA and ASMI, with the support of LASALLE College of the Arts, this competition attracted more than 700 entries for both the Open and LASALLE Design Communication categories.

The winner of the Open Category was Mr Andrew Chen Zhiquan, an 18 year old student from the School of Interactive Digital Media in Nanyang Polytechnic, for his entry 'Rope'. His design was an illustration using multiple ropes to form silhouettes of different objects related to the maritime industry. The ropes also symbolised the resilience of the maritime industry.

The winner of the LASALLE Design Communication Category was final-year student Ms Natalie Christie from the Design Communication progamme in LASALLE College of the Arts, for her entry titled 'Sea Anchor'. Sharing her experiences about the competition, Natalie said, "I used the anchor as the main object in this design because the anchor was the first object that came up to my mind when I thought of the word 'maritime'. Also to create a better effect, I did not directly illustrate the design of the anchor, but used a line illusion to create the shape of it. This is because the anchor would always be used under the sea, which would not be clearly seen when it is sunk."

Mr Lam Yi Young, Chief Executive, MPA said, "Once again, this year's Singapore Maritime Week has a good mix of 25 events that are targeted both at the maritime community as well as the general public. Through the various public outreach events, we hope to share more about the vibrant world of Maritime Singapore and the wide range of exciting and rewarding career opportunities it offers."

The galore of activities for SMW will not stop here. From 7 to 12 April, the maritime community can look forward to an exciting line-up of conferences, meetings, dialogues and networking events that celebrate and showcase the diversity and vibrancy of the Singapore maritime industry. Some of the key highlights include the Singapore International Maritime Awards, the 7th Singapore Maritime Lecture, Sea Asia Exhibition and Conference, and the International Chemical and Oil Pollution Conference and Exhibition that will end with a full-deployment, multi-agency chemical spill exercise.

End of Release.

About Singapore Maritime Week (7 - 12 April 2013)
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 size and 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.

About 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.

Launch of Singapore Maritime Week 2013

An Insight into Maritime Singapore exhibition at Plaza Singapura

Amazing Maritime Adventure flag off at Plaza Singapura

Amazing Maritime Adventure participants having fun at one of the stations at Marina South Pier