MPA inks MoU to develop 'future-ready' seafarers for Singapore's maritime sector

Singapore

MARITIME Singapore is ramping up efforts at developing a pool of digital future-ready seafarers.

On Monday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at equipping seafarers with the skills to cope with digitalisation and automation in the maritime sector.

It was signed with the Singapore Shipping Association and Singapore Maritime Employers Federation Singapore Maritime Officers' Union (SMOU) and Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS) at the third Maritime Human Resource (HR) Forum, held in conjunction with the Singapore Maritime Week 2018. (see amendment note)

The MOU called for collaboration in three areas pertaining to training of seafarers:

Andrew Tan, MPA chief executive, said: "The face of ports, shipping and the maritime industry is changing with the advent of automation, new technologies and business models.

"This MOU reflects a strong commitment by the government, industry and unions working together to identify the skill gaps, and to train and upskill the maritime workforce for the future economy."

A specialist diploma course in Maritime Superintendency, funded by SkillsFuture Singapore, was launched at the forum on Monday.

The new course aims to facilitate the transition of experienced seafarers "from sea to shore", or from work on board ships to onshore jobs with the maritime sector.

It will also facilitate mid-career switches in the maritime sector for those who have been working in relevant fields such as mechanical engineering.

The course, was developed by a working group comprising representatives from DNV GL, MPA, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), Singapore Polytechnic, SSA and Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers Singapore (SNAMES). The course takes its first batch of students in October. (see amendment note)

Maritime Singapore has faced difficulties in recruiting young Singaporeans as seafarers, though the situation has improved in recent years following initiatives jointly introduced by MPA and its industry partners.

Captain Mohd Salleh Ahmad Sarwan, director of Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA), noted that Singaporeans make up most of the class attending nautical studies at Singapore Polytechnic with the SMA these days. This compared favourably with six to seven years ago, when almost half the class were foreigners.

Maritime Singapore has also made progress towards achieving a goal laid out in 2015 to double the number seafarers on board Singapore-flagged ships to 1,000 within five years.

To date, some 700 active sailing seafarers are working on board Singapore ships, going by MPA data released to The Business Times.

Amendment note: It has also been updated to state that a working group with representation from DNV GL, MPA Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), Singapore Polytechnic, SSA and Society of Naval Architect and Marine Engineers Singapore developed the new Specialist Diploma course in Maritime Superintendency.