The Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2019 will be held from 6 to 14 April 2019. Organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the nine-day event will gather experts from around the world to share pertinent insights about developments affecting the industry, strengthen relationships, and offer opportunities for members of the public gain a deeper understanding of Maritime Singapore.
Themed “Driving Connectivity, Innovation and Talent”, the 14th SMW will see 24 forums and conferences, eight networking receptions and four public outreach activities. Singapore’s standing as a leading global maritime hub is supported by these three pillars, which have made headway in growing the country’s breadth of maritime services, fostering innovation and nurturing talents.
Ms Quah Ley Hoon, Chief Executive of MPA said, “With the Bicentennial, SMW 2019 will be an excellent time to take stock of where we are and how to overcome challenges ahead. During the nine-day event, attendees will get to hear from the brightest minds and influential business leaders from shipping and adjacent sectors, as they go beyond the present to debate the strategies needed for a future-ready maritime industry
Strengthening singapore’s connectivity and linkages with the global industry
Headlining this year’s Singapore Maritime Lecture will be Mr Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry. In his capacity as the head of the nation’s economic and industrial development, Mr Chan will deliver a keynote speech titled “Whither Singapore as a Maritime Hub?” that will cover global and regional developments, before zooming in on Singapore. He joins the panel discussion thereafter, featuring veterans such as Mr S.S. Teo, Executive Chairman and Managing Director of Pacific International Lines; Mr Samuel Tsien, Group CEO of OCBC Group and Ms Edith Yeung, Partner at 500 Startups. The discussion will be moderated by Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of BW Group, BW LPG, BW Offshore, Hafnia and the Singapore Maritime Foundation.
Returning for its seventh edition is the biennial Sea Asia, where the Global Forum will see representatives of shipowners and cargo interests deliberate key issues facing the industry. Panellists include Søren Toft, Chief Operating Officer, A.P. Moeller – Maersk A/S; Tan Chong Meng, Group Chief Executive Officer, PSA International; Andreas Sohmen-Pao and Erck Rickmers, Chairman, ER Capital. Additionally, speakers at the Parliamentary Debate will present their cases for the motion of “This house believes that too much is expected of the shipping industry on environmental matters”. The debate will be moderated by Esben Poulsson, Chairman, International Chamber of Shipping, President, Singapore Shipping Association and Chairman, Enesel Pte Ltd. Close to 15,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event.
Findings of The Leading Maritime Capitals of the World 2019 (LMC) (also known as Menon) report will also be released, assessing five pillars – Shipping Centres, Maritime Finance and Law, Maritime Technology, Ports and Logistics, Attractiveness and Competitiveness. Under each pillar a comprehensive set of objective and subjective indicators were considered to benchmark the maritime capitals. Jointly produced by Menon Economics and DNV GL, the LMC report is a prestigious and widely-accepted study of the world’s leading maritime capitals by garnering survey responses from more than 200 industry experts across all continents. Singapore was ranked first in the last three editions in 2012, 2015 and 2017.
Placing a spotlight on containerised cargo, TOC Asia will offer a threetrack programme covering Container Supply Chain, Bulk and Terminal Operations to meet the differing needs of stakeholders across the container supply chain. TOC Asia expects to attract at least 1,500 attendees.
Participants of the Capital Link Advanced Singapore Maritime Forum will deep dive into developments and trends in the energy, commodities, global finance and capital markets. At the 6 th Marine Money Singapore Offshore Finance Forum – which will be co-located with SMW for the first time – developments in the oil and gas markets, field decommissioning and redevelopment, the demand and supply environment for offshore supply vessels and the availability of finance to the offshore industry will be in focus. Financing will also be covered at the Moore Stephens – BNP Paribas: Singapore Shipping Forum, which will provide insight on the current state of shipping and the most critical issues faced by the industry such as markets, emissions, geopolitics, and financing.
In light of game-changing regulations to be introduced soon, these developments will be a key highlight at Gard’s Charterers & Traders Seminar, which will be themed “Fuelling Thought – A closer look at a range of fuel-related issues and challenges, including fuel contamination and the 2020 Global Sulphur Cap”. Similarly, the Singapore Marine Insurance Conference will explore the future of marine insurance and its relevance in the evolving global maritime ecosystem.
For the first time at SMW, an exclusive closed-door gathering of 15 major industry players will discuss issues on ship classification and regulations as well as the strategic direction to be taken to embrace rapid technological and market changes at the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Roundtable.
Developing a vibrant maritime innovation ecosystem and harnessing digitalisation
To create an enabling environment for maritime innovation, MPA will unveil its Maritime Innovation Lab during SMW. The purpose-built facility is set up to provide an enabling environment for experimentation and test bedding of innovative port services and intelligent ship operations through digital and regulatory enablers and ecosystem partnership. As a digital test bed, the developer space will complement the physical test bed that MPA has to future proof the sea port. Industry partners, research institutes and local universities will be able to plug into the test beds, data hub and regulatory sandbox to develop maritime solutions and capabilities. Several projects that are undergoing test-bedding will be showcased at the open house. These include the Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management System, Remotely Assisted Pilotage and Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships.
The 4th Singapore Maritime Technology Conference will take place over three days and is curated to carry four themes that address key industry concerns. Sessions will provoke thoughts about technology as an enabler for growth, promote the maritime start-up scene and home in on cybersecurity. The Sea Transport Industry Digital Plan, along with other innovation-led initiatives will be rolled-out at the opening day on 10 April 2019.
With Singapore’s recent election into the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) council, techfocused conversations will be sustained at the IALA – MPA E-navigation Workshop that will delve into the Initial Operating Capability (IOC) phase for eNavigation Services for the first time at SMW. Safety at sea will also be discussed at 3 rd Asian Marine Casualty Forum, which aims to raise industry standards, boost cross-industry cooperation, and reduce the risks and challenges involved in future major salvage and wreck removal operations.
Building a future-ready and skilled maritime workforce
To bolster a strong maritime talent pool, the Breakfast Conference by FastStream held for the first time at SMW will discuss maritime talent development trends and human resource-related issues so that companies can tailor their talent development programme accordingly. Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Faststream Recruitment Group and Faststream Executive Search, Mr Mark Charman, will deliver the findings of a Senior Executive Survey that will highlight key trends in the future maritime talent, leadership styles, career development, pay and reward, and the effect of technology on the maritime industry.
To encourage the industry to continue to grow, the biennial International Maritime Awards will recognise individuals and companies who have made their outstanding contributions to Singapore as a premier global hub port and a leading international maritime centre. At the event, MPA will announce a new Sea Transport Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) for Sea Transport Professions that will help facilitate mid-career professionals re-skill and take up expanding job roles in the maritime sector.
The focus on nurturing talent will continue at the Graduation Ceremony for Certificate of Competency (CoC) (Special Limit) Officers and Tugmasters, which will celebrate the achievements and endeavours of cadets who have chosen seafaring as their careers.
Casting the net wider to global talent, 30 C-suite administrators from 27 countries will convene for the Advanced Maritime Leaders’ Programme that will hone their leadership skills and build new capacity to transform their organisations.
Journeying through maritime Singapore as Singapore marks its bicentennial
In conjunction with Singapore Bicentennial, the SMW Exhibition – Bicentennial Edition will bring visitors on a journey of Singapore’s past, present and future by examining what distinguishes and characterises Maritime Singapore’s story. Archival photographs, first-person recounts and immersive interactive experiences will showcase how the success of the Port of Singapore is built upon connectivity, innovation and talent.
This will be complemented by MPA Learning Journey – SMW Edition that brings participants to the Singapore Maritime Gallery followed by a trip to the Raffles Lighthouse or a Sea Tour around Singapore waters. The programme provides a platform for participants to sneak a peek at what makes Singapore a bustling maritime nation.
The popular Amazing Maritime Challenge will also return to bring participants on a race around Singapore to discover more about the global maritime hub. Participants will be visiting three maritime hubs focused on Connectivity, Innovation and Talent where the activities will incorporate Bicentennial elements.
With its myriad of knowledge exchange platforms and public activities, SMW 2019 will be a celebration of all things maritime – positioning industry players and professionals for the future, while offering members of the public greater knowledge of Maritime Singapore.
About Singapore Maritime Week (6-14 April 2019)
Driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Singapore Maritime Week gathers the international maritime community for a week of flagship conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and social events in celebration of all things maritime. The range of activities and events organised by MPA, industry stakeholders and research and educational institutions, as well as the cosmopolitan profile of participants, reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore as a global hub port and leading international maritime centre. For more information and the full calendar of events, please visit www.smw.sg
