Singapore Financial Centre – picture credits: S. Venardos
SSA’S INVOLVEMENT IN MARITIME WEEK SET TO BENEFIT SHIPPING INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY IN SINGAPORE
The Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) is fully committed to showcase the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) which will run from 19 – 24 April 2015. The Association will be hosting and participating in a multitude of maritime related events, ranging from high-profile meetings discussing key issues affecting the maritime industry, to business networking and corporate social responsibility.
The SSA’s Young Executives Group (YEG) will kick start the week by volunteering at the Willing Hearts Soup Kitchen on Saturday 18 April, prior to the launch of SMW. Some 60 shipping industry volunteers will assist in the preparation, cooking and packing of food to be distributed to the less fortunate beneficiaries across the island that day.
On Monday 20 April, SSA will co-host an industry forum with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) to discuss the issue of ‘Maritime Regulatory Landscape – 2015 and beyond’.
ICS Chairman Mr Masamichi Morooka will be delivering a keynote speech, whereby he will address key concerns of maritime transportation, with a focus on compliance from the shipowners’ perspective. He will also discuss the impact of environmental legislation on shipping and review some of the recent environmental regulations adopted, agreed or under development at the IMO.
Working through the ICS and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), SSA has been actively contributing to discussions at the IMO, including the Ballast Water Convention.
A discussion panel will ensue, chaired by SSA Honorary Secretary and ICS Vice Chairman Mr Esben Poulsson. Other panelists include ICS Secretary General Mr Peter Hinchliffe, Chairman of the SSA Maritime Security Sub-committee Capt. George Solomon and Mr Morooka himself.
Immediately following the forum discussion will be a presentation ceremony of the United States Coast Guard’s AMVER Awards. The Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER) is a computer-based voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. The AMVER Awards Program recognises those vessels which regularly participate in the AMVER system and awards them coloured pennants in recognition of that ship and company’s commitment to safety at sea. At this ceremony, some 90 Singapore based companies will receive AMVER awards for the 1, 250 ships under their care.
On Wednesday 22 April, 80 representatives of SSA member companies will embark on an exclusive “Maritime Learning Journey” to gain further insights into Maritime Singapore. Starting off with a tour of the Singapore Maritime Gallery, participants will go on to visit restricted access areas – such as, Keppel Shipyard’s extensive ship and rig building facilities, as well as a ferry ride to Raffles Lighthouse on Pulau Satumu, Singapore’s southernmost island, for a once-in-lifetime climb up its 160-year old lighthouse tower.
SSA President, Mr Patrick Phoon, said: “Singapore Maritime Week is a high profile and influential occasion and the Singapore Shipping Association is pleased to be playing a significant role in ensuring that this wide range of events benefits both the maritime industry and the Singapore community as a whole.”
About the Singapore Shipping Association
The Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) represents more than 470 shipping companies and other businesses allied to the shipping industry. It is a national trade association formed in 1985 to serve and promote the interests of its members which comprise shipowners and operators, ship managers, ship agents and other ancillary companies such as shipbrokers, classification societies, marine insurers, bunker suppliers, maritime lawyers, and shipping bankers amongst others.
SSA works closely with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore to promote Singapore as a leading maritime centre, and also with the Asian Shipowners Forum and other fellow shipping associations in the region with the goal of speaking with a unified Asian voice.
About the Singapore Maritime Week 2015 (19 – 24 April 2015)
Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) is the leading maritime event in Singapore. Driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), SMW gathers the international maritime community in Singapore for a week of conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and social events in celebration of all things maritime. The range of activities and events organised by MPA, the industry, and research and educational institutions, as well as the cosmopolitan profile of participants, reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore as a major international maritime centre.
SMW has grown in significance since the inaugural event in 2006, and is attracting more participants and event organisers from around the world. Participants can experience something new every year, as activities are added to the line-up, and as eminent speakers share their insights and participate in dialogues on topical maritime issues. This dynamism and the good range of issues discussed during SMW are major draws for maritime decision-makers, as are the many business networking platforms. This is why Singapore Maritime Week is all about PEOPLE, IDEAS and OPPORTUNITIES for the maritime community.
For more information and the full calendar of events, please visit www.smw.sg.
