Singapore’s plan for the maritime industry

Think about the things that you use every day – your smartphone, the coffee beans that go into your morning brew, or the chair that you are sitting on. Chances are, they travelled thousands of miles by sea before reaching Singapore.

More than 80 per cent of the world’s goods are transported by sea, making the maritime industry the backbone of global trade. And Singapore sits at the heart of this ecosystem. It is the world’s leading container transshipment and bunkering – or vessel-fuelling – hub.

At any given time, about 1,000 ships are in Singapore’s waters, carrying essential goods such as food, fuel and construction materials.

Ng Yi Han, chief transformation officer and senior director for Innovation, Technology and Talent Development at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), shares: “Many people may not realise this, but the maritime industry plays an outsized role, especially in Singapore, where we are a major global supply chain hub.”

Watch to find out more about the maritime industry.

Singapore’s influence extends well beyond its shores. It is home to one of the world’s busiest ports and punches above its weight in global maritime trade. Its strategic location, world-class port infrastructure, global connectivity, trusted institutions and deep ecosystem of maritime services have made it a key node of global commerce.

Keeping everyday life moving

As a member of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – the United Nations agency responsible for regulating international shipping – Singapore actively supports the IMO in shaping global standards and policies that govern the industry.

For all its importance, the maritime sector often operates out of the public spotlight. Many see only the ships and ports, not the diverse careers behind them – from technology and sustainability to policy, logistics and global trade.

“People usually don’t see the maritime industry working quietly behind the scenes 24/7,” says Ng. “The average Singaporean doesn’t realise that when they do their groceries at the supermarket, these goods are actually brought to Singapore by ships from all over the world.”

When these supply chains are disrupted, the effects can be felt across the economy through shortages, delays and rising costs.

Ng experienced this first-hand. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, he watched as port congestion and crew shortages cascaded into global supply chain disruptions. This led to emptied supermarket shelves and drove up prices worldwide.

“When the maritime industry is under stress, the ripple effects spread far beyond the ports, and everyone feels it,” he recalls.

Despite the industry’s significance, maritime may not always be top of mind for fresh graduates or professionals considering a career switch.

“Many people think that the maritime industry is all about the vessels and operating the vessels as a seafarer, but it goes beyond that,” says Ng.

While seafarers remain a vital part of the workforce, today’s maritime industry offers opportunities across commercial, engineering and technology functions. Roles in the industry range from monitoring global trade flows and developing cleaner fuels, to applying digital tools and artificial intelligence to optimise maritime operations.

“In order for the maritime industry to work well and efficiently, we do need a diverse workforce,” says Ng.

“A workforce not just in technical roles such as seafaring and operational roles, but also in commercial and technology-related roles as well.”

When ports become innovation hubs

Another common misconception is that maritime is a traditional industry with little room for innovation. In reality, technologies are rapidly reshaping ports, ships and global supply chains.

“The industry is moving towards using technology, AI and automation to drive progress. These tools are going to play an important role in not just shipping itself but also in the global supply chain. And what this means is that ports are also going to be increasingly automated,” says Ng.

At PSA, port operations are coordinated from shore-based operation centres, where equipment can be monitored and even operated remotely with a high degree of efficiency.

At Seatrium, their Yard Of The Future initiative uses digital twins of its global shipyards, allowing engineers to detect anomalies on digital dashboards before they become real-world problems.

The future could see even larger changes. MPA and PSA are inviting proposals to develop and test autonomous inter-gateway container feeder vessel operations within Singapore’s port.

These innovations create new career opportunities in areas such as remote vessel monitoring and operations, autonomous systems engineering, maritime data analytics and specialised technical maintenance.

Alongside digitalisation and automation, sustainability has become a major priority for the maritime sector. International shipping accounts for around 3 per cent of global carbon emissions.

To reduce their environmental footprint, international shipping is exploring cleaner energy sources such as biofuels, methanol and ammonia, while Singapore is also working towards electrifying local harbour crafts.

To support the transition, a $100m Maritime Singapore Green Initiative (MSGI) was launched in 2011 to promote clean and green shipping in Singapore, and by 2030, all new harbour craft in Singapore’s waters must operate on low-carbon energy solutions.

Singapore is also accelerating efforts on the use of biofuels and establishing methanol and ammonia bunkering at scale, which will reduce the carbon footprint of ships.

New pathways into maritime careers

As maritime evolves, so too must its workforce. MPA is working closely with educational institutions to build a strong talent pipeline.

“We work with the universities, the polytechnics, as well as ITE on the various maritime careers,” says Ng. “We support them in reviewing some of their maritime-related curriculum.”

New programmes are also being introduced to broaden the pathways into the sector. These include an Industry Graduate Diploma in Maritime at Singapore Management University and a master’s-level vessel management programme at the Singapore Institute of Technology.

They add to existing maritime programmes, including master’s-level courses in Maritime Studies at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Maritime Technology Management at the National University of Singapore, as well as undergraduate and polytechnic programmes at NTU and the Singapore Maritime Academy at Singapore Polytechnic.

But a maritime qualification is not the only way into the industry. Ng himself came from a computer engineering background and started out as a research and development executive. Drawn to maritime by the opportunities to apply technology and innovation, he has since risen through the ranks over more than 20 years and now helps shape how the industry evolves.

“What is most important is really to have the passion to gain more exposure to the industry,” he says. “We welcome students from non-maritime disciplines because a lot of the technologies and solutions come from other domains and disciplines.”

The industry also welcomes mid-career professionals from adjacent sectors such as logistics, commodities and trading. Career conversion programmes can help these professionals acquire the skills needed to transition into maritime roles.

“It will be very useful if the person is a problem solver, and is able to work with uncertainties or challenges,” Ng says. “Maritime is also a very international industry, so the ability to engage different cultures and understand different perspectives is important.”

Find out more about the career opportunities in the maritime industry.