A RECENT HISTORY OF

MARITIME SINGAPORE
THE LAST HALF CENTURY
BY TEH K L
tehkl1@gmail.com
 WHY ARE WE COVERING THIS?

– The lessons from this “recent” past will be relevant to

you.
– This will give you a better insight into our maritime
industry which should help you in choosing jobs, in
interviews, and in making intelligent conversation
about the industry.
– The lessons of the past will help you chart the future
(and hopefully avoid the same painful mistakes).
– It will provide a link to further discussions about the
future (the final lecture).
– Might be useful for your tutorial presentations
 SOME THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTIONS

• How did we arrive at where we are today?

• Why has none of our neighbours achieved the
same success/progress? Are they catching up
(or have they caught up)?
• Are we guaranteed success in the future?
 THE PORT

– Singapore Harbour Board (SHB)

– Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) – 1 Apr 64
– PSA Corporation/Maritime & Port Authority of
Singapore – 1997/1996
– Containerisation (Tanjong Pagar) - 1972
– Jurong Port - 1965
– Sembawang Wharves – 1971
– Pasir Panjang Wharves - 1974
– Port of Tanjong Pelepas (competition) – 1999
– West coast terminals
– Tuas Megaport
 THE PORT (contd.)

– Fisheries ports (Punggol, Jurong (1969), Senoko

(1997))
– Offshore supply bases (Jurong, Loyang)
– Passenger/Ferry terminals (Singapore Cruise
Centre (1991), Changi (to Johor), Tanah Merah
(1995), Marina South)
 SHIPREPAIR

– Formation of Keppel Shipyard to take over former

SHB’s dockyard - 1968
– Conversion of HM Naval Dockyard to Sembawang
Shipyard - 1968
– Japanese investments into Jurong Shipyard (IHHI –
1963); Hitachi-Robin Shipyard (1970) and Mitsubishi
Shipyard (1973)
– Kallang basin shipyards (boatyards)
– Tg Rhu yards
– Closure of Kallang basin - 1987
 SHIPREPAIR (contd.)

• Closure of Keppel Main Yard (Telok Blangah) -

1996
– Consolidation within Keppel (e.g. purchasing
Hitachi-Robin in1998; taking over the Mitsubishi
dock)
– Merger of Jurong and Sembawang (1997)
– Relocation to Batam (Karimun) and other overseas
ventures (1990s/2000s)
No.1 Dock
Queen’s Dock
Housekeeping
 SHIPREPAIR – MAJOR FACTORS
• Location – Convenience for customers
• Facilities (e.g. supporting services)
• Manpower – knowledge/skills
• Infrastructure (banks, insurers, surveyors)
 SHIPBUILDING

– Wooden boatbuilding
– Jurong Shipbuilders (1968-1976)
– Singapore Slipway and Engineering (Tg. Rhu)
– Vosper Thornycroft/United Engineers (Tg. Rhu)
– Singapore Shipbuilding & Engineering (SEE -
1968)/Singapore Technologies Marine (STM)
– Singmarine/Keppel Singmarine
– Far East Levingston/Keppel Fels
– PPL/Jurong Shipyard/Sembcorp Marine
Early Rig-building
Early Rig-building
 SHIPBUILDING – MAJOR FACTORS
• The Market – very volatile; many issues
• Competition
• Land
• Manpower
• Supporting industries
• R&D
 FISHERIES

– Fishing boats (SMF) *

– Fishing ports (Jurong, Punggol, Senoko)
– Fisheries training and research (Changi)
– Fish farming

* Main concern – fishing grounds

 SHIPOWNING

– Private (Kie Hock, Guan Guan, PIL, etc)

– Government (Neptune Orient Lines)
– Tugs and barges
– Bunkering
– Salvage
– Ocean towing
– Ferries/Passenger
– Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs)
– Attracting foreigners (vs growing organically)
 SOME MAJOR ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS

– Laju hijacking (Jan 1974)

– Spyros explosion/fire (Oct 1978)
– Cable car accident (Jan 1983)
– Royal Pacific sinking (Aug 1992)
– Various pollution incidents
– Various shipyard accidents
– Various shipping incidents in the Malacca and
Singapore Straits
Laju Incident
Cable Car Accident
 SHIPMANAGEMENT

– Promoting the Singapore flag (initially for seafarer

employment)
– Fighting the flag-of-convenience war
– Promoting shipmanagement in Singapore
– Promoting Singapore as an international maritime
centre (IMC) (e.g. AIS)
 MARITIME TRAINING

– Seagoing officers (Sailors Institute, shipyard

apprenticeships, Singapore Polytechnic)
– Seagoing ratings (TS Singapore, National Maritime
Board)
– Singapore Port Institute/PSA Institute
– Maritime business (Singapore Polytechnic, NTU)
– SP/NP tie ups with foreign universities
– Integrated Simulator Centre; SSA Training Institute; ST
Education & Training; Wavelink Maritime Institute
– Other company training centres
 STRATEGIC/POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

– Malacca/Singapore Straits
• Importance
• Stakeholders (countries, industry)
• Safety of navigation (IMO routeing system)
• Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
• Burden sharing (Article 43 of UNCLOS)
Singapore Strait Routeing System
STRATEGIC/POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS (contd.)

– Territorial waters
• Johor Strait
• Singapore Strait
• Pedra Branca
Johor Strait/Singapore Strait
Horsburgh Lighthouse/Pedra Branca
 KEY ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED

– Singapore Shipping Association (SSA)

– Singapore Maritime Employers’ Federation (SMEF)
– Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS)
– Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU)
– Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI)
– Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF)
 LESSONS FROM THE PAST

– Staying ahead of the competition/demand (PSA,

containerisation)
– Understanding the needs of the customer (PTP and A
P Moller/Maersk)
– The importance of a long term view (training/strategic
issues/rig-building)
– Importance of record keeping
– Tripartism as a key strength
– Adaptation to changing environment (e.g. general
cargo to containerisation; oil exploration to wind
energy)
 MORE LESSONS FROM THE PAST

– The value of competition (PSA/PTP, shipyards)

– The strength/value of a comprehensive ecosystem
(shiprepair/Batam/Pasir Gudang/IMC)
– The benefits of attracting foreigners
(shipowning/shipmanagement/other services)
– Success does not come easily or automatically
 FAMOUS WORDS
“THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST
ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT”
- GEORGE SANTAYANA