WELCOME REMARKS BY MR LUCIEN WONG, CHAIRMAN, MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE, AT MPA'S LUNAR NEW YEAR MEDIA APPRECIATION LUNCH, ON 22 FEBRUARY 2016 (MONDAY), 12.50pm

Media friends,

Partners and colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen

Good afternoon and a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Monkey to one and all. Welcome to MPA’s annual Lunar New Year media appreciation lunch. Thank you for joining us today, and for your continued support towards MPA.

2     2016 marks MPA’s 20th year of developing Singapore as a global hub port and international maritime centre (IMC). Our efforts also go towards advancing Singapore's strategic maritime interests. Last year, our port handled over 30m TEU, less than the year before, but it is, nonetheless, still a significant volume. And although the Port of Singapore put in a mixed performance in 2015, amidst weak global economic conditions and structural changes in the maritime industry, we remain the 'Best Seaport in Asia', an honour that we have received for the 27th time.

3     We also held the 10th edition of the Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) successfully in 2015, receiving thousands of public participants and many high-level delegates from all over the world. High profile events included new additions such as the Port Authorities Roundtable, Singapore Maritime Technology Conference and Maritime Heritage Exhibition.

4 In the midst of an ever-evolving industry, MPA endeavours to establish Singapore as a key player in the international maritime industry. In November last year, we were honoured to be re-elected into the IMO Council for a 12th consecutive term with a new high of votes. Last year, we unveiled a series of Smart Port initiatives to leverage the ongoing revolution in ICT, smart devices and Internet of Things. These efforts harness the use of mobile technology and wireless connectivity, to enhance communications, productivity and crew welfare in the Port of Singapore.

5     On the aspect of safety, the National Maritime Safety at Sea Council (NMSSC) was established to spearhead the drive for maritime safety on a national level, and to ensure the sustainability of safety efforts. In 2014, MPA launched the Safety@Sea Singapore Campaign to inculcate a safety-first culture at sea. These efforts helped to contribute to one of the lowest incident rate to date. Nonetheless, the recent BatamFast Sea Princess ferry incident is a reminder that we have to continue to build on our ongoing efforts to promote a holistic culture of safety for our regional ferries at sea.

6     MPA has continued its drive to develop a strong core of local maritime talent too. In 2015, we injected an additional $65 million into the Maritime Cluster Fund (MCF)-Manpower Development (MD) programme, and adopted SkillsFuture Study Awards to help recipients defray the cost of work-related training. The Sectoral Tripartite Committee for Transport (Sea) led by MPA also rolled out new initiatives to promote and profile maritime careers.

7     Despite headwinds in the global economy, MPA remains committed to ensuring that Maritime Singapore is well-placed to cope with the changing global demands.

8     The recent award of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker supplier licences proves that. With the global LNG market projected to expand at a 63.6 per cent compound annual growth rate between 2014 and 2025, it was only natural for us to develop the necessary infrastructure to begin supplying LNG bunker to vessels in the Port of Singapore. This is Singapore’s first step to becoming bunker ready, and supports our efforts to develop into a key LNG bunkering hub in Asia.

9     Safety will continue to be an area of priority. Singapore is one of the world's busiest ports, and it is therefore vital to encourage safe practices and inculcate a safety-first culture at sea. Our annual Safety@Sea campaign will take place later this year, and will be augmented by other safety initiatives such as joint oil spill and ferry mishap exercises.

10     Grooming local talent will also remain a key focus. For one, the maritime sector will have its SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme from the second quarter of this year. The Sectoral Tripartite Committee for Transport (Sea) is also working to extend Continuing Education & Training, to provide Singaporeans with an opportunity to deepen their competencies in the maritime sector. With these initiatives in place, current maritime talent will be able to advance their careers in seafaring and shore-based sectors, and we hope more will be attracted to join the industry as well.

11     From 17 to 22 April 2016, MPA will once again profile Maritime Singapore to international port authorities, industry leaders and maritime experts at SMW 2016. This year, we are privileged to have Kristian Siem, Chairman of Siem Industries as the keynote speaker at the Singapore Maritime Lecture. Besides his appointment at Siem Industries, Mr Siem sits on the board of numerous shipping companies, and previously held several management positions with the Fred. Olsen Group in the US and Norway. We will also be inviting high-level industry members to join Mr Siem at a panel discussion. You can certainly expect several events at SMW driving thought leadership, addressing industry trends, as well as outreach events to engage the general public. More details of the SMW programmes will be forthcoming and we look forward to having you join us for these events.

12     As the maritime sector continues to be a key engine of growth for Singapore, it is crucial that MPA and the industry work even more closely together to leverage opportunities to invest in and build new capabilities – such as the new port at Tuas, our International Maritime Cluster sector, a future-ready maritime workforce, and even in areas of research and development.

13     2015 had been a very eventful year and we expect 2016 to continue to be an exciting one. It would not have been possible to build greater awareness and interest in the maritime industry without the strong support from our media and industry partners. Thank you for being a part of Maritime Singapore, and supporting the industry’s continued growth.

14     We hope that you will enjoy the spread prepared specially for you today. Xin Nian Kuai Le! And have a fruitful and joyous year ahead.

15     Thank you.