SMF's David Chin to Receive Pioneer Generation Award

David Chin, Executive Director of the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) will be honored with the Pioneer Generation Award at the upcoming Lloyd’s List Asia Awards 2015, in Singapore on Wednesday 28 October.

David Chin, whose service to Singapore’s maritime sectors spans 53 years, is currently spearheading the aims and objectives of the SMF which include serving as the link between public and private sectors in the maritime industry, driving initiatives to attract and nurture talent in Singapore’s maritime sector, and pursuing all opportunities to help maintain Singapore a leading international maritime center.

“It has been my privilege to be able to contribute to Maritime Singapore,” said Mr Chin on learning he is to be honored with the first Pioneer Generation Award.

“Mr Chin has been a key contributor to Singapore’s stature as a global maritime hub. Perhaps no one else in Singapore has had positive influence over time across all sectors crucial to maritime development. He is a maritime national treasure,” said Tom Leander, Asia Editor of Lloyd’s List.

Mr Chin, who holds a first class degree in engineering from the UK, began his maritime career as an apprentice in a ship repair yard where he later took charge of commercial management and marketing. In 1985, he joined the Trade Development Board (now known as International Enterprise Singapore) where he contributed in divisions including Export of Services Division, International Trading Division, Multilateral Trade Policy Division, Shipping and Logistics Division, and the Trade Facilitation and Administration Division.

He became Deputy Chief Executive Officer in 1994 and was appointed Director General (Trade) for the ASEAN Division in 2002.

In January 2004, he was appointed Director General (Trade) in Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry where he served until he retired from government service in 2007 – although he continued as a Consultant to the Ministry for five more years.

David Chin has also served the maritime community on numerous advisory boards. He was a Board Member of the Port of Singapore Authority, as well as Jurong Port, and served twice as a Director on the Board of Singapore International Arbitration Center for 11 years. He was also the Deputy Chairman of the Singapore Commodity Exchange for eight years, and a Board Director of Pacific Shipping Trust Management Pte Ltd.

He is currently a Board Director of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA), and a Vice President and Council Member of the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (IMarEST) London, United Kingdom.

On 11 April 2013, David Chin was honored with the International Maritime Center Award (Individual) by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore for his significant lifetime contributions to the development of Singapore as an International Maritime Center.

The recipient of the Pioneer Generation Award is the only one to be announced in advance. A regional panel of independent judges has considered dozens of entries in other categories. The winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Singapore, at the Fullerton Hotel, on Wednesday 28 October.

The Lloyd’s List Asia Awards are sponsored by ClassNK, HPH and PSA International, and supported by the Asian Shipowners Forum, The Baltic Exchange, the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, and the Singapore Shipping Association.