Maritime Education Hub in Singapore

[Lyn]

Hi All,

I'm new here.. and was surfing the website and chance upon this forum..

i'm currently a student from the Singapore Maritime Academy and doing a project on Maritime Education Hub.. whether it is a dream or reality in years to come...

I believe most of you are from the maritime industry? Appreicate if you guys could give me some views on this.. thank you soo much!!!

[nazrey]

Singapore To Be A Global Maritime Knowledge Hub By 2025
28-04-2009

In the next 15 years, Singapore will be a centre of excellence for maritime research and development (R&D), where innovative solutions transpire and ideas turn into market-ready reality.

Driven by both academic institutions and the maritime industry, such maritime R&D will give rise to new initiatives that the maritime sector can leverage both technically and commercially.

This vision of a global maritime knowledge hub was proposed at the final meeting of the 3rd Maritime Research and Development Advisory Panel (MRDAP) hosted by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on 27 and 28 April.

It is based on identified global trends in four key maritime business sectors; namely, port, shipping, maritime services, and offshore marine & engineering.

To address these trends, the panel identified emerging technologies and their potential applications by the maritime industry and proposed, for instance, new maritime R&D programmes on clean technologies for more eco-friendly shipping.

"It is important to develop Singapore as a global maritime knowledge hub if we want our maritime cluster to move to the next level of competition," says BG (NS) Tay Lim Heng. "Staying at the forefront of technology, therefore, is an integral part of Singapore's growth as an international maritime centre."

A vibrant maritime cluster offering a comprehensive range of maritime services, from shipping to maritime law, finance, training, insurance and brokerage, Singapore is well-positioned to realise the vision put forth by the 3rd MRDAP.

Chaired by Mr Sven Ullring, who is also the board director of Keppel Corporation, the 13-member panel of the 3rd MRDAP comprised prominent personalities and experts from leading maritime organisations and research institutions.

In 2002, the first MRDAP charted the Maritime Research and Technology Cluster Development Roadmap in order to spur local maritime R&D initiatives. It also established the S$100-million Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund, or MINT Fund, to help industry players and research institutes transform concepts to commercial reality.

This has since led to many local maritime R&D initiatives such as the Offshore Research Technology programme by the Centre for Offshore Research & Engineering at NUS, the Infocomm@SeaPort Programme with IDA, and the MPA-IHPC Maritime Research Programme.

Annex 1: Factsheet on the 3rd MRDAP

About the 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, grow the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime R&D and manpower development.

[nazrey]

S'pore in fast lane as maritime hub
Published April 22, 2009

MPA's longer-term initiatives help attract new businesses and expand existing ones, reports VINCENT WEE

IT IS a challenging time to be holding a maritime industry event in the midst of the ongoing global economic slowdown and its attendant effects on world trade in general and the industry in particular.

While the economic storm continues to rage, the fourth Singapore Maritime Week (SMW), which runs from April 18 to April 24, provides a safe harbour of sorts for industry executives to get together to network and exchange ideas on how to better meet the challenges ahead. SMW features international conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and business networking events, and gathers the who's who of the international maritime community in Singapore.

'We expect a good turnout at this year's Singapore Maritime Week because of the timeliness and industry-relevance of issues to be discussed. At the same time, we are continuing with our efforts to raise the profile of the sector and reach out to the youth,' said Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) chief executive Tay Lim Heng.

More than this, however, the MPA is also doing its part to help the industry. 'The maritime industry is experiencing the effects of the global economic slowdown and financial malaise. Fortunately, Singapore's fundamentals are sound and we are prepared to ride out the storm. To help the industry through these challenging times, the MPA has introduced various initiatives (which) are meant to help companies lower business costs and to alleviate short-term difficulties,' said Mr Tay.

These include recently announced cost assistance programmes totalling about $28 million. For example, port dues have been cut. Ocean-going vessels staying less than 10 days will get a 10 per cent discount, while commercial harbour craft will enjoy a 20 per cent discount. The MPA has also extended the port dues waiver scheme for new double-hulled bunker tankers till March 31, 2011, and deferred an increase in annual port dues for older bunker tankers 16 years old and above, benefiting the operators of more than 100 bunker tankers.

Shipowners are also getting some relief through the extension of the waiver on withholding tax on overseas interest payments to finance the purchase of Singapore flag vessels under the Singapore Registry of Ships' Block Transfer Scheme (BTS). The waiver has been extended for another five years till Dec 31, 2013. Qualifying for the scheme has also been made easier, as owners with one vessel of 40,000 tons or more can now qualify for the scheme.

The MPA has also introduced initiatives for the longer term - beyond the current challenging climate - to encourage businesses to grow their operations and invest in capability development, so as to be well-positioned for the economic upturn.

A sum of $10 million has been set aside this year for capability development. Part of this comes from the additional $45 million allocated to new business development under the enhanced Maritime Cluster Fund (MCF). The fund was set up in 2002 with an initial funding of $80 million to help promote the maritime cluster in Singapore. While the first tranche was targeted at promoting manpower development, the additional sum is directed at attracting new businesses and growing existing businesses. New maritime ventures planning to set up in Singapore, or existing maritime companies planning to expand into new lines of business, can now tap the MCF to defray start-up costs. For instance, a ship broker expanding into offshore broking activities may apply for co-funding under the new component.

Investments in research and development have also been stepped up to help maritime companies fulfil their R&D aspirations. Recently, the MPA reviewed the $100 million Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund set up in 2003 to enhance its effectiveness and set aside $25 million from the fund to support the development of new strategic R&D areas. These include maritime telecommunications, port operations, clean energy and maritime environment.

'R&D is investment in the longer term. And this should be sustained for Singapore's maritime sector to retain its competitive advantage beyond the current economic downturn,' said Mr Tay.

The MPA also continues to make good progress in further developing Singapore as an international maritime centre (IMC). The Singapore Maritime Foundation was established in 2004 as the industry-led complement to the MPA's IMC mission objective.

The MPA works actively to support SMF's lead in profiling maritime Singapore and its maritime industries at major events overseas such as Nor-shipping and Posidonia. These overseas missions have attracted strong participation from Singapore-based companies. In June this year, SMF will be leading another delegation to Nor-shipping. 'By bringing Singapore's maritime services to the world, the missions showcase Singapore as a maritime gateway to Asia which, in turn, help to attract more shipping companies to set up operations in Singapore,' said Mr Tay.

Today, Singapore is widely regarded as a major maritime centre with a vibrant and diversified maritime sector, including a wide range of ancillary services.

Under the MPA's Approved International Shipping (AIS) scheme, an increasing number of international shipping groups have been establishing their presence in Singapore. There are now more than 100 AIS companies. Ancillary maritime services have also grown in both breadth and depth to support Singapore's port operations and the needs of ship owners and operators. In 2008, many leading shipbroking companies, banks with shipping portfolios, marine mutuals and Lloyd's Syndicates set up new offices or expanded their operations in Singapore. These companies include shipbroker Barry Rogliano Salles, banks such as Commerzbank Bank and Deustche Bank, and marine insurers QBE Marine and Energy Services. North of England, one of the key international P&I Clubs, also upgraded its presence from a representative office to a branch office.

A strong belief in the importance of education has also meant that the MPA is putting in a lot of effort to beef up the maritime education and training landscape. These efforts are necessary to ensure a supply of maritime-ready professionals to meet the needs of the sector and support the growth of Singapore as an IMC. The Maritime Cluster Fund (MCF), which the MPA set up in 2002, has supported some 3,900 employees from 800 companies on a wide variety of maritime education and training programmes.
The MPA together with SMF, the Association of Singapore Marine Industries and the Singapore Shipping Association, also launched the MaritimeONE (Maritime Outreach Network) initiative in April 2007. This initiative served as a key platform for maritime stakeholders to collectively raise the awareness of Singapore's dynamic and diversified maritime sector among the youth and attract quality manpower into the industry. Thus far, MaritimeONE initiatives include MaritimeONE scholarships, the maritime careers portal, and partnership activities such as NetworkONE receptions and the MaritimeONE Leaders Speaker Series.

In terms of manpower development initiatives, the MPA recently supported the industry-initiated partnership between the Singapore Management University's International Trading Institute (or

The Maritime Leaders Speaker Series was launched in January 2008 by the MPA and SMF to further enthuse the younger generation about the vibrant maritime sector. A MaritimeONE initiative, it brought captains of industry on campus to share their insights with undergraduates and polytechnic students.

The first online careers portal dedicated to the maritime industry was launched in March 2008. This is part of the MaritimeONE initiative involving the industry, educational institutions, and government to collectively raise the awareness of the industry and attract new entrants. Besides promoting career and education opportunities in the maritime sector, the portal also provided a platform for prospective employers and employees to meet.

Last July, the MPA came together with the industry at a combined scholarship ceremony taking place for the first time. Both MPA and MaritimeONE scholarships and sponsorships were handed out at the ceremony. It testified to the community's continuing commitment to invest in young men and women to grow Singapore's maritime talent pool. As part of maritime week, Maritime Youth Day @ Sea Asia - a MaritimeONE initiative - will take place on April 23.

[nazrey]

S'pore gears up to be maritime education hub
15 July 09 The Business Times

OVER the past few years, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) had partnered various educational institutions to establish new diploma and degree maritime courses, along with continuing education programmes for mid-career maritime staff.

More recent and notable examples include Nanyang Technological University's Bachelor of Science in Maritime Studies and the two-year Bachelor of Engineering in Naval Architecture with Honours, run by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Singapore Polytechnic, in collaboration with Newcastle University.

'Singapore's maritime and logistical academic fraternity, if fully coordinated, can use the component parts of the country's educational establishments to form the nucleus of Asia's own World Maritime University,' says Cambridge Academy of Transport chairman Richard Butcher. 'This would certainly be in keeping with Singapore's status as an international maritime centre.'

Ranging from post-graduate to diploma courses, maritime programmes in Singapore are offered by the three local universities and other institutions, such as the BI Norwegian School of Management, Singapore Maritime Academy, Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, Singapore Shipping Association, Institute of Ship Management, and the Singapore College of Insurance.

There are now more than 30 such courses in Singapore - and it is a growing tally. In fact, well-regarded institutions such as CAT is talking of relocating some of its maritime-related programmes to Asia, and Singapore has everything to swing the vote in its favour.

For starters, as one of the world's leading international maritime centres, Singapore is the base for many major shipping companies, container carriers, international banks and insurance companies. For men and women with the right qualifications, there is an array of maritime career opportunities available in shipping as well as maritime business, law, finance and engineering.

A large number of shipping and related enterprises operating within Singapore's business environment, says Mr Butcher, also makes the city-state an ideal venue for a forthright exchange of views. This, in turn, shapes the country's potential as a global centre for maritime education and learning.

In addition to Singapore's standing as an international maritime centre and maritime thought capital, there are other reasons why the country is primed to be a focal point for maritime education.

'It is particularly advantageous, for the achievement of an educational hub status, that Singapore enjoys a central geographical position within Asia, a business-friendly environment, and strong government support for all aspects of the shipping industry,' says Mr Butcher.

In 2007, MPA launched the MaritimeONE initiative to provide a more coordinated approach to the promotion of maritime careers in Singapore. Activities and programmes include outreach and networking events such as school talks and visits, scholarship and internship opportunities for students, and a new maritime career website that serves as a one-stop information centre on different maritime career paths and job openings.

One present hiccup in Singapore's development as a maritime education centre is the global economic downturn, which has hit the shipping industry hard. In such a business climate, one can expect maritime enterprises to scale back recruitment and pay closer attention to training and manpower development costs.

Yet, if companies can be persuaded to adopt a long-term approach, the current downturn is an opportunity for the maritime industry to build a pool of skilled manpower in Singapore, to facilitate the expected rapid growth once the global economy picks up.

Hopefully, this means a continued demand for maritime programmes and good news for Singapore as a maritime educational hub.

This article has been edited forThe Business Times and first appeared in Singapore Nautilus,a publication by the Maritimeand Port Authority of Singapore