02 September 2013

Your Excellencies,

Mr Lam Yi Young,
Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA),

Prof Soh Chee Kiong,
Acting Chair, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Nanyang Technological University (NTU),

Participants of the 3rd Maritime Public Leaders Programme,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening. It is my pleasure to welcome all of you, in particular our overseas friends, to the 3rd run of the Maritime Public Leaders Programme ("MPLP").

When we started the MPLP in 2011, we did so with the belief that it is important for there to be a platform for industry leaders and policy makers to come together and advance shared interests in the maritime industry. Of course, given the global nature of shipping, it is important that such a platform involve maritime leaders from around the world. In this regard, the MPLP presents an invaluable opportunity for participants to engage in vibrant discourse, bringing together insights from various vantage points across the entire maritime sector.

Since the inaugural MPLP, we have had the pleasure of receiving participants from maritime administrations from Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Middle-East, Oceania and Pacific Islands. For the 3rd MPLP, I am delighted to note that there are some 22 participants from 17 countries, spanning across 7 geographical regions. This year, we are pleased to welcome our guests from Latin America, who are participating in the Programme for the first time. I am also delighted to note that we have greater industry participation this year, with participants from the ReCAAP ISC, PSA, Jurong Port and INTERTANKO. With such a diverse mix of nationalities and backgrounds, I am confident that you will find the discussions at this 3rd edition of the MPLP even more insightful.

Since the inception of the MPLP, the co-organisers from NTU and MPA have put in much effort to refine the syllabus to ensure that the course remains both relevant and impactful. This year, the programme will cover a holistic range of issues faced by the maritime industry such as dealing with the shortage of skilled maritime manpower. The programme will also include in-depth discussions through a series of lectures and site visits. Lecturers and speakers will include professors from institutions such as the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, the Nanyang Business School and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our MPLP lecturers and speakers and the course coordinators from NTU and MPA, many of whom have been involved with the programme since the beginning. The MPLP has continuously received good feedback thanks to your efforts, and I am confident that this year will be no different.

With that, I congratulate MPA and NTU for successfully bringing the 3rd edition of MPLP into fruition and I wish every participant and lecturer a fruitful and inspiring programme ahead.

Thank you and have an enjoyable evening.