15 November 2006

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

It is my pleasure to be here at the 8th Maritime Forum. It is heartening to see so many representatives of the maritime industry and educational institutions here today.

 

During the school holidays in June this year, MPA, in partnership with the industry and academic institutions, showcased the diverse array of maritime careers and education programs to over 1,000 students in the first-ever Maritime Open House. The theme of the event was - "Sea of Opportunities, Shore of Possibilities" - and it stirred up great interest in maritime careers among the students present. Our forum today is a continuation of MPA's maritime manpower development effort, hence today's theme - "Maritime Ready for the Sea of Opportunities and Shore of Possibilities."

 

The Importance of Manpower Development

In developing Singapore as a leading International Maritime Centre (IMC), MPA has developed a 3-prong strategy. Firstly, MPA is working to attract a core group of ship owners, managers and operators to entrench their operations in Singapore. Secondly, MPA is seeking to increase the depth and breadth of maritime ancillary services to meet industry needs. The third component of MPA's strategy is the development of a pro-business environment through conducive regulatory and fiscal policies. Thus far, the results have been highly encouraging, with 80 international shipping groups basing their operations in Singapore under the Approved International Shipping Enterprise (AIS) scheme. We are also the 4th largest registry in the world and the largest in Asia, with a wide variety of maritime service providers operating in Singapore, including one-third of the world's top shipping law firms.

 

Nonetheless, while MPA continues to attract maritime businesses to base their operations in Singapore, it is equally important to ensure that these businesses have access to a large pool of competent and talented manpower, so as to sustain Singapore's growth as a premier IMC. MPA is therefore continuously engaging employers in the maritime industry, so as to develop training programs, courses and scholarships that meet the industry's needs for seafarers, shore-based personnel and maritime engineers.

 

For instance, the Bachelor and Master of Science in Maritime Studies - Shipping at NTU and the Fourth Year Bachelor of Engineering program in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering conducted by the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde were introduced in line with feedback from maritime sector employers. Today, I am pleased to announce 3 more courses that MPA has developed in consultation with the industry. One of these courses will expand our pool of manpower for the offshore and marine engineering sector, while the other two programmes will benefit the shore-based service sector.

 

Offshore Oil and Gas Technology Specialization

Singapore's Offshore and Marine Engineering (OME) sector is globally renowned, with an impressive share of the global market for oil rigs and Floating Production, Storage and Offshore (FPSO) vessels. In 2005, the output of the OME sector reached an all-time high of S$7.5 billion, up 40% from the previous year. The order books of some of our local yards are now full through 2010. With such strong business activity, the OME sector needs to maintain and increase its talent pool of naval architects and engineers.

 

MPA and the Economic Development Board (EDB) have therefore jointly funded the creation of an Offshore Oil and Gas Technology specialization at the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the National University of Singapore (NUS). Student response has been overwhelming, with 64 students choosing the specialization, double our initial expectation of 30 students. The 15 scholarships and sponsorships that have been offered by companies also reflect strong industry endorsement of the program's relevance.

 

LLM (Maritime Law)

The two other courses that I would like to announce are both graduate maritime law programs at the Faculty of Law in NUS. Building on the undergraduate maritime law modules, NUS will offer the new LLM in Maritime Law and the Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law and Arbitration from the next academic year. The new LLM program will allow law graduates to acquire specialized knowledge in the field of maritime law. The wide variety of courses related to shipping, marine insurance, shipping regulation and ocean policy will expose students to the commercial aspects of shipping, as well as the work of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). This will strengthen our pool of maritime lawyers as Singapore strives to be a top maritime legal centre.

 

Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law and Arbitration

On the other hand, the new Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law and Arbitration is targeted at maritime executives without formal legal training. The program will also be open to maritime professionals like Deck and Engine Certificate of Competency 1 (CoC1) holders and other qualified individuals. I urge executives currently working in shipping companies, law firms, P&I clubs and marine insurance companies to take the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of shipping law and arbitration, which have become increasingly important for work in the maritime industry.

 

Apart from creating new education programs, MPA will also enhance the accessibility of these programs. I am pleased to announce that MPA will offer the Local Maritime Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme for both the LLM in Maritime Law and the Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law and Arbitration, through which MPA will subsidize 60% of the course fees. Companies are urged to use these schemes to extend training opportunities to their employees.

 

Conclusion

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thanks to MPA, EDB, local educational institutions and the industry, a wide variety of maritime-related courses have been created to nurture talent. I urge the industry to continue supporting this drive to increase the quality, knowledge and size of our maritime workforce through scholarships and internships. The industry's support is critical as we seek to ensure the relevance and impact of our education and career publicity efforts. I also invite employers to continue sharing with us your insight on manpower issues. It is only with industry feedback that MPA can continue to create relevant, high-quality education and training programs that will meet our burgeoning manpower needs as Singapore develops into a maritime centre of excellence.

 

Thank you