Loh Khum Yean appointed as MPA board chairman

[SINGAPORE] Loh Khum Yean has been appointed as the chairman of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) board by Acting Minister of Transport Jeffrey Siow.

The appointment is effective from Dec 1, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said in a statement on Monday (Nov 17).

Loh will replace Niam Chiang Meng, who has served more than nine years on the MPA board, initially as deputy chairman from Jul 1, 2016, then as chairman from Dec 16 that year.

Loh is currently the chairman of the National Parks Board and has been MPA’s deputy chairman since Feb 1, 2025.

He retired from administrative service on Oct 1, 2023. He previously held permanent secretary roles in the Public Service Division in the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Manpower.

He was also the chairman of the Civil Service College and sat on the boards of the Land Transport Authority, the Health Promotion Board, the National Library Board, as well as the Agency for Science, Technology and Research,

He was awarded the silver Public Administration Medal in 2002, and the gold in 2011.

“With his extensive experience, (Loh) will help strengthen MPA’s institutional capabilities and contribute to its work in advancing Singapore’s position as a trusted hub port and international maritime centre,” MOT said in its statement.

Niam’s leadership

The ministry noted that during Niam’s tenure as board chairman, MPA navigated “rapid change marked by trade and geopolitical tensions, technological shifts, and the Covid-19 pandemic”.

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MOT credited his leadership for Singapore keeping its position as one of the world’s busiest ports and top five ship registries, as well as the leading bunkering hub.

It added that Niam strengthened the city-state’s status as a “leading international maritime centre, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of shipping, maritime services, and innovation activities”, while collaborating with industry and union partners to “advance workforce development across the sector”.

MOT also noted that in 2018, during his chairmanship, Singapore was elected for the first time into the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) Council.

This council is the IALA’s governing body, which meets twice a year to oversee the organisation’s ongoing programmes and approve standards and recommendations for marine navigation and vessel traffic services.

In 2025, Singapore hosted the first General Assembly of IALA as an intergovernmental and international organisation.

Singapore, represented by MPA, was also re-elected for four consecutive two-year stints on the Council of the International Maritime Organization under Niam’s leadership – in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023.