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At 75, Captain Sylvester Heng Mok Hee​ has spent more than half a century in the maritime industry, progressing from a cadet to founding his own shipping company, Regional Shipping Services Pte. Ltd. His career has allowed him to witness Singapore’s maritime sector evolve while experiencing the challenges of working at sea. Capt Heng was a student in the 9th cohort of the Pre-Sea Course at SP’s School of Nautical Studies. In May 1969, he embarked on his first long voyage, travelling from Singapore to Liverpool aboard a cargo ship via the Malacca Strait, around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Atlantic. The journey took about a month. He spent the following nine years sailing around the world. Looking back, he said the practical training at SP was crucial to his career. Instructors taught maritime fundamentals while sharing their own experiences, and students regularly received sailing training where they practised steering, raising sails, and tying knots. Capt Heng said true mastery comes from hands-on experience, not simply learning techniques in a classroom. His first voyage also showed him how to apply what he had learned at SP to real-life situations and challenges at sea.

[Lianhe Zaobao]