Detail

Singapore’s maritime sector struggles to attract young Singaporeans to seafaring careers.  While shipping companies can recruit crew internationally, the concern is whether Singapore will have enough local talent in the future to support ship management, training, and regulation. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore plans to launch the Maritime Singapore Master Plan in 2027, with manpower development as one of its priorities. SP plays an important role in maritime training. Moe Khaine Htun Naung, who began his seafaring career in 2012 and is now a training manager and qualified master, studied Nautical Studies at SP, choosing the deck route rather than his father’s marine-engineering route. The article notes that among local polytechnics, SP is the only one offering Nautical Studies and Marine Engineering, leading to deck and engine officer careers respectively. The article also highlights younger people entering the sector through different pathways. Shale Lee, 23, first studied Film Production at a polytechnic before developing an interest in maritime operations through a part-time logistics job at the port. He later studied Digital Supply Chain Management and completed a 12-week rotation at a ship-management company. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Naufal Firas hopes to become a ship-design engineer and chose ITE after unsuccessfully applying for a relevant course at SP. He hopes that gaining offshore work experience will help him design ships that better address seafarers’ practical needs.

[Lianhe Zaobao]