MPA Partners with Maritime Companies, Unions and Universities

[By: MPA]

Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2022 wraps up with partnership programmes  established to develop a multi-skilled maritime workforce and cultivate thought  leadership in maritime  
The Maritime Manpower Forum at the Singapore Maritime Week 2022 brought  together government, union and industry leaders to discuss ways to attract and retain talent and transform workplaces in the maritime sector. The forum emphasised the  importance of tripartite partnerships through collaboration amongst unions, employers and the government in advancing transformation and growth in the maritime industry.  

2. During his keynote address at the forum, Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of  State for Transport said, “It is not a given that we will achieve the ITM targets because  we are now operating in a more challenging global environment than before. However,  we have confidence in our strengths and capabilities, which can be seen from the  sector’s resilience during the pandemic. In addition, we have an important enabler in  Singapore which is our strong tripartite partnership between the Government, industry,  and unions. This is a pillar of strength for Maritime Singapore as we embark on industry,  company and workforce transformation.” 

3. Mr Chee also added maritime workers make important contributions to a vital  industry that underpins Singapore’s survival and prosperity. They play a key role in  keeping global supply chains going, and that it was important to attract good people  to join the maritime sector by offering rewarding careers with ample opportunities for  continuous learning and skills upgrading, for both seafaring and shore-based roles. 

Enhancing co-funding support for talents to gain international exposure in  Southeast Asia 

4. In a global business like maritime, local talents must have international  exposure in order to take on senior leadership roles. MPA offers the Overseas  Attachment Scheme and Global Talent Programme to encourage companies to  provide such opportunities for locals. The schemes would enable local talents to gain  experience and exposure through structured rotations and overseas attachments. 

Between 2019 and 2021, 84 local talents have gone on overseas attachments. 

5. MPA will enhance the co-funding support under the Overseas Attachment  scheme and Global Talent Programme for talents to place greater emphasis on 

Southeast Asia. The quantum of support under these programmes will be 20% higher  for employees who are sent to ASEAN countries, compared to other locations around  the world. This means that MPA’s co-funding support for employees who are sent to  ASEAN countries will be increased from 50% to 70% for the Overseas Attachment  scheme and 70% to 90% for the Global Talent Programme.  

Launch of Inaugural Maritime Transformation & Innovation Programme (MTIP) 

6. At SMW, MPA also launched the inaugural Maritime Transformation &  Innovation Programme (MTIP), which is a training programme to support the key  agenda of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The programme focuses on driving innovation and efficiency within the maritime community. 

7. Participants will gain insights into transformational strategy and effective  change management practices as they exchange ideas with industry practitioners and  peers from around the world. The MTIP brought together 20 senior officers in maritime  administrations from 15 countries from around the world, to learn and share valuable  insights on innovation, transformation, and change management in their organisations. 

Supporting our local seafarers - Tripartite Maritime Scholarship and SailMAP 

8. The Tripartite Maritime Scholarship (TMSS) was introduced in 2002 to help  build up a core group of local mariners by aiming to attract and encourage locals to  take up seafaring as a career. The scholarship, sponsored by MPA, seafarer unions  (Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union & Singapore Organisation of Seamen) and  shipping companies, aims to groom promising students or fresh graduates to be Ship  Captains or Chief Engineers of ocean-going merchant ships, with the potential to be  the future leaders of Singapore’s maritime industry. A total of more than 200  participants have been awarded the TMSS thus far. 

9. TMSS is open to students pursuing the Diploma in Nautical Studies or Diploma  in Marine Engineering at the Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA), Singapore  Polytechnic (SP). In 2021, 14 Tripartite Maritime Scholarships (TMSS) worth about  S$1 million were awarded. Application for the TMSS is open once a year and  interested paritcipants for the next intake can sign up by 22 April at:  https://www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/maritime-singapore/education-and scholarships/maritime-scholarships/tripartite-maritime-scholarship-scheme-tmss 

10. To provide more support for our local seafarers, MPA and tripartite partners  (unions and industry) have recently launched the Sail Milestone Achievement  Programme (SailMAP) to provide each seafarer with up to $50,000 when they attain  key career milestones, including a sign-on bonus of $10,000 when they sign-on their  first vessel as a Certificate of Competency (CoC) Class 3 (deck officer) or 5 (marine  engineer) holder. 

11. The incentive payments help to support their income when they are not sailing,  so that they can focus on upgrading their seafaring skills and knowledge during these  periods.  
Second edition of the Maritime Leadership Programme (MLP) 

12. MPA will continue to invest in grooming leaders and managers through  initiatives such as the Maritime Leadership Programme. Launched in 2021 and  conducted by Singapore Management University, the Maritime Leadership  Programme (MLP) is designed for senior management leaders within the extended  value chain of the maritime industry. This programme offers participants a robust  foundation of key maritime concepts including leadership in maritime and fresh  perspectives on global maritime trends. It also connects participants with renowned  maritime leaders through the networking opportunities to enable knowledge  exchanges and facilitate collaboration. 20 senior management leaders completed the  programme last year. 

13. The second edition of MLP is expected to run in the third quarter of this year,  and is open to maritime management leaders who are looking to expand their  knowledge and develop strong networks in the sector. The upcoming edition features  highly engaging delivery formats well suited for executive education and development, 
as well as interactive sessions with C-Suite executives from maritime organisations.