Singapore Maritime Week 2015

The 10^th Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) held from 19 to 24 April 2015, brought together the international maritime community for a week of high-level conferences, workshops and exhibitions. Led by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), SMW 2015 featured close to 30 events centred around the theme of People, Ideas and Opportunities.

Over 50,000 public participants and high-level delegates took part in a diverse and exciting range of events. Let us look back at some of the key highlights of SMW 2015:

Singapore Maritime Week Launch & Exhibition

The SMW 2015 was officially opened by Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Defence, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza on 19 April 2015.

Minister Lui also officiated the opening of the inaugural Maritime Heritage Exhibition at the launch of the SMW. The exhibition titled “Maritime Singapore: From Trading Post to Global Hub” traced the evolution of Singapore’s maritime heritage and focused on the historical, social and economic significance of Singapore as a global hub port and an international maritime centre. Walking through the five zones of the exhibition, visitors experienced the transformation of Maritime Singapore through artefacts, interactive presentations and multi-media displays. The exhibition was put together by MPA and its partners, including the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), and the Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI).

Singapore Maritime Lecture

The 9^th Singapore Maritime Lecture (SML) was attended by about 400 high-level delegates and decision-makers in the maritime industry. Since its inception in 2007, SML has attracted and engaged thought leaders on a wide range of important maritime issues. Prominent speakers who have spoken before include Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, as well as Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr Koji Sekimizu.

This year’s speaker, Mr Tung Chee Chen, Chairman of Orient Overseas (International) Ltd, delivered a lecture on “The Changing Dynamics of the Container Shipping Industry”. Mr Tung was also engaged in a dialogue session, chaired by Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of BW Group Limited and BW LPG Board of Directors.

International Maritime Awards

On 21 April 2015, 11 outstanding industry partners were honoured at the Singapore International Maritime Awards (IMA) 2015. This year, the awards ceremony and gala dinner specially recognised the outstanding contributions that the pioneering generation made towards the growth of Maritime Singapore. The prestigious International Maritime Centre (Individual) Award was conferred to Mr Y.C. Chang, founder and Chairman of Pacific International Lines, for his contribution to the Singapore shipping industry. There were also 38 maritime companies that received the Maritime Sector Incentive award, which aimed to facilitate the growth and expansion of ship owners, operators and maritime service providers in Singapore.

New Events at SMW 2015

Advanced Maritime Leaders Programme

The Advanced Maritime Leaders Programme (AMLP) was one of the key inaugural events launched at this year’s SMW. The new programme was specially designed for senior maritime leaders who head their countries’ maritime or port administration.

Through the 5-day event, 13 senior maritime officials from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania engaged in sharing sessions, panel discussions, case studies and crisis communication exercises.

For more information on this event, please click here.

Port Authorities Roundtable

Port Authorities Roundtable (PAR) was another inaugural event launched this year, attended by 10 port authorities from major ports around the world. PAR is a summit for Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and senior leaders of port authorities to share insights on topical maritime issues. The high-level networking event provided a platform to advance cooperation and collaboration in maritime matters.

Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA and Mr Allard Castelein, President and CEO of Port of Rotterdam Authority, also signed a Memorandum of Understanding, to exchange information on marine services and to collaborate on research and development in the areas of service efficiency and optimisation in the maritime and port sectors.

Singapore Maritime Technology Conference

In SMW 2015, there was also a new drive in the development of technology. The inaugural Singapore Maritime Technology Conference was launched on 23 April by MPA, in collaboration with local and overseas partners. The conference brought together about 300 participants from more than 10 countries to develop, promote, and showcase maritime research and development as well as industry solutions.

In her opening address, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Mrs Josephine Teo, announced MPA’s new initiatives. These included improvements to the Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund, enhancements to the Green Technology Programme and the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding between MPA and the Research Council of Norway.