Press Release

Maritime Singapore Awards S$1.6 million in Scholarships to 54 Students

Singapore, 31 August 2020 – More than S$1.6 million in scholarships were awarded to 54 students this year as part of the MaritimeONE Scholarship Awards. Currently in its fourteenth year, the awards are part of Maritime Singapore’s collective efforts to cultivate a pipeline of talent for a sector that has played a critical role in establishing Singapore’s status as a global maritime hub.

A total of 40 MaritimeONE Scholarships and 14 Tripartite Maritime Scholarships (TMSS) were presented in a virtual ceremony by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, maritime companies, local seafarer unions and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs).

MaritimeONE Scholarship

The 40 MaritimeONE Scholarships, valued at over S$945,000, were awarded by 17 organisations. The 17 organisations hail from all sectors of the maritime industry – port, shipping, maritime services, shipyards – as well as IHLs. Notably, this year saw the highest number of female scholars awarded since 2007, and it is the third time in the history of the awards where there were more female than male recipients.

Recipients of MaritimeONE Scholarships are able to choose from a spectrum of 28 maritime and non-maritime degree courses offered by local and overseas universities, as well as six maritime and engineering diploma courses offered by Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), shared his views about the importance of the maritime industry, especially amidst the disruption to global supply chains caused by COVID-19.

The awarding of MaritimeONE Scholarships reaffirms the commitment of SMF and its strategic industry partners to support the maritime workforce and to ensure a steady pipeline of future-ready talent

Mr Sohmen-Pao

“In the midst of a global pandemic, the maritime industry plays a critical role to ensure that global supplies continue to be delivered, and we need to find good people to help us with this,” he added.

Since 2007, a total of 424 MaritimeONE Scholarships worth more than S$11 million have been awarded to outstanding students to pursue courses locally and abroad.

2020 ABS – MaritimeONE Scholar, Ms Sureka Elangovan: Charting a Course
where Passion and Work Aligns

Sureka is currently pursuing a degree in Offshore Engineering at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) with Newcastle University (NU). She looks forward to taking on any challenges her future career might bring. Intrigued by a sector she describes as the “backbone” of not just Singapore, but also the global economy, she looks forward to being a part of an industry that seems equal parts challenging and rewarding.

“Singapore has always regarded its maritime sector as a critical pillar for economic development. To be a part of something this huge and important is extremely rewarding to me. This scholarship will open doors to the realm of maritime, allowing me to gain unique experiences which would help to achieve my goal of becoming a professional in this field. More importantly, I see it as a vote of confidence in my ability to add value to the industry. I am really excited about working in a dynamic environment that is constantly evolving in tune with global developments, as it would mean having plenty of learning opportunities!”

2020 PSA – MaritimeONE Scholar, Ms Natalie Lam: Unlocking New Insights for
Maritime with Big Data

It was after taking part in the PSA unboXed Data Analytics Business Challenge that Natalie discovered her passion for the maritime industry. Possessing an appreciation for data-driven insights, Natalie, who majors in Data Science and Analytics at the National University of Singapore (NUS), is about to embark on the third year of her course. She is looking forward to taking her love for data science and analytics with her into the sector.

“I have always loved data and upon my friend’s urging, I took part in PSA unboXed’s Data Analytics Business Challenge this year. To my surprise, my team made it to the top five! This definitely sparked my love for maritime. Being a forward-thinking organisation, PSA has adopted data science to optimise large-scale operations for improved productivity and efficiency, and leveraged big data analytics for informed decision-making. I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to contributing my experience and skills in this area.”

2020 X-PRESS FEEDERS – MaritimeONE Scholar, Mr Sebastian Neo: Taking the
Road Less Travelled to Faciliate Growth of the Global Economy

After graduating from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Sebastian was at a crossroads, as he had to decide on a course to pursue in polytechnic. Upon learning more about the government’s vision to transform Singapore into a maritime hub, he decided to enrol with the Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) at Singapore Polytechnic (SP), before embarking on his degree in Maritime Studies at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

“It has not been an easy journey for me academically, but I believe hard work prevails and I am very grateful for this opportunity. I am looking forward to earning my position in a team that works tirelessly to maintain Singapore’s position as the top port-of-call worldwide and an excellent transhipment hub. To me, choosing maritime as a career translates not just to building vessels or sailing, but also being part of a bigger picture that supports economies, businesses and people all over the world.” Details regarding the MaritimeONE Scholarship Programme and its supported courses can be found in Annex A.

Tripartite Maritime Scholarship (TMSS)

14 TMSS valued at over S$700,000 were also awarded this year. TMSS are offered to students enrolled in the Nautical Studies and Marine Engineering diploma programmes at Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) in Singapore Polytechnic (SP), as well as graduates of SMA and Tripartite Maritime Training Awards (TMTA) who are holders of a valid Certificate of Competency (COC) Class 3 or Class 5.

The TMSS is jointly sponsored by MPA, shipping companies, the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) and the Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS). Sponsoring companies for this year include Fleet Ship Management Pte Ltd, NYK Shipmanagement Pte Ltd, PACC Ship Managers Pte Ltd, Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd, POSH Fleet Services Pte Ltd, Swire Pacific Offshore Operations Pte Ltd, Synergy Marine Pte Ltd and X-PRESS FEEDERS. The scholarship aims to groom promising students or fresh graduates to become Ship Captains or Chief Engineers of ocean-going merchant ships and be the future leaders of Singapore’s maritime industry.

For details on the TMSS scholarships, please refer to Annex B.

2020 Mid-Term TMSS Scholar, Ms Mona Humaira Binte Hanifah Marican: Staying Firmly on Course To Pursue Her Passion For a Career at Sea

Ms Mona Humaira will be awarded the mid-term TMSS scholarship with PACC Ship Managers Pte Ltd. She graduated with a Diploma in Nautical Studies from SP in 2018 and attained her CoC Class 3 in the same year. Following her diploma studies, she had considered continuing her tertiary education at a local university. However, she eventually set her sights on obtaining her professional seafaring qualifications and to stay on course for a career at sea.

“I wanted to pursue a career at sea since my secondary school days. I feel that the qualifications and experiences that I would gain at sea are invaluable and could be transferred ashore. This scholarship provides me with the opportunity to challenge myself and I hope to be in a leadership position within the maritime industry in the future.”

2020 TMSS Scholar, Mr Gerald Lim Jian Yu: Engineering the Passion for Seafaring

Gerald will be awarded the TMSS scholarship with POSH Fleet Services Pte Ltd. He is currently a final year student pursuing a Diploma in Marine Engineering at SP and will graduate in 2021. Sailing has always been his passion and the avid basketball player hopes that he can be a Chief Engineer one day.

“I came to know about the TMSS through career talks at my school. I am keen to work in the maritime industry and this scholarship will enable me to achieve my ambitions to be an industry leader one day. I hope to become a Chief Engineer and to be a source of inspiration to young locals who share my passion for seafaring.”

  • About MaritimeONE

    Launched in April 2007 by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Singapore Maritime
    Foundation (SMF), Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI) and Singapore Shipping
    Association (SSA), the MaritimeONE (Outreach NEtwork) is a key platform for all maritime stakeholders
    to synergise efforts to raise awareness of the maritime industry among students and their influence
    groups, and to interest them in maritime education and careers via various outreach initiatives. As the
    Secretariat of the MaritimeONE, SMF works in tandem with strategic partners to organise a variety of
    initiatives, including promotional campaigns, events and MaritimeONE scholarships. Other
    MaritimeONE activities include industry awareness talks, scholarship offers, student outreach events
    and regular networking events for employers and tertiary students. For details, visit
    https://www.smf.com.sg

  • About the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF)

    Established in 2004, the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) is a private sector-led organization that
    aims to develop and promote Singapore as an International Maritime Centre (IMC). As the
    representative voice for the commercial players of the maritime industry, the Foundation seeks to forge
    strong partnerships with the public and private sectors of the maritime industry. SMF spearheads
    initiatives to promote the diverse clusters of the maritime industry in Singapore and at international
    frontiers, and to attract young talent to join the sector. SMF is directed by its Board of Directors which
    comprises prominent leaders in the Singapore maritime community. For details, visit
    https://www.smf.com.sg.

Media Contacts

  • Corporate Communications Department

    corpcomms@sgmf.com.sg