Opening Ceremony Speech by Acting Minister for Transport, Mr Chee Hong Tat at the 2023 World Marine Equipment Conference
12 October 2023
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Mr Zhang Guoqing, Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China
Mr Zhou Zuyi, Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Fujian Provincial People’s Congress,
Mr Xin Guobin, Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology,
Mr Li Yang, Vice-Minister of Transport,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. Thank you to our organisers for inviting me to attend the 2023 World Marine Equipment Conference, and for your warm hospitality. My delegation members and I are delighted to be here in the beautiful city of Fuzhou.
2. The maritime industry provides essential services to the global supply chain, with over 80% of international trade carried by sea. The importance of maritime transport was especially clear during the COVID-19 pandemic to transport critical food, energy, and medical supplies across the globe.
3. Singapore is home to the world’s second largest container port, largest transshipment hub port, and largest bunkering hub. The maritime industry features prominently in our history. From our founding as a port city, we evolved into a modern maritime nation. Today, our maritime industry keeps us connected to the rest of the world. We continue to invest in growing this sector, including building our next generation Tuas Port capable of handling 65 million TEUs annually.
4. Looking ahead, the global maritime industry faces several challenges. How do we strengthen resilience of global supply chains? How do we speed up digitalisation to enhance efficiency, safety and sustainability? And how do we scale up decarbonisation efforts to reduce carbon emissions?
5. I propose that we can tackle these challenges by following three principles,which I will elaborate in Mandarin. These are: “乘风破浪”, to ride the waves of change and innovation, “学海无涯”, learning as lifelong and limitless like the ocean, and “风雨同舟”, we are in the same boat to tackle these challenges. They each contain words relating to the sea or ships.
6. Please allow me to continue the rest of my speech in Mandarin.
7. 女士们,先生们,朋友们,大家上午好。让我先说“乘风破浪”。我们以坚韧不拔的精神迎接挑战,并利用科技与创新,寻求突破性的解决方案。2019年冠病期间,停留在新加坡港口的海员无法上岸。为了继续向这些船舶 提供服务,我国海运业采用3D打印科技,以快速的方式提供高质量的船舶零件, 并使用无人机把这些零件以及其他必需品传送到船上。
8. 疫情后,新加坡计划扩大海事无人机的使用范围,提高我们港口运作的效率,让企业减低开销,减少碳排量。我国港口水域里的5G网络将在2025年全面完成,支持更多海事无人机的使用, 以及其他科技的研发和运作。
9. 第二,“学海无涯”。我们不断提升海事业者的技能,协助我们的员工善用新科技,与时并进。在船舶燃料方面,新加坡目前为船舶提供传统燃料、生物燃料,以及液化天然气。我们在探讨添加清洁燃料,如绿色甲醇、氨和氢,以及支持国际航运业加快绿色转型。今年七月,新加坡成功完成了 全球首次船对集装箱船的甲醇燃料加注。
10. 绿色转型需要企业和员工的支持,不断学习新技能,增加新知识。要终生学习,才能与时具进,通过技能提升,保持竞争力。
11. 最后,“风雨同舟”。气候变化和全球供应链的联通和韧性将影响世界各国。面对如此全球性的挑战,我们需要加强国际合作, 一起探索创新的科技和解决方案,寻找更多互惠共赢的机会,联手创造更好的未来。
12. 所谓千里之行,始于足下。 我上中学的时侯,很喜欢看由中国拍摄的电视剧 《西游记》。剧里的片尾曲是一首非常好听又很有意义的歌,叫《敢问路在何方》。有一段歌词是“一番番春秋冬夏,一场场酸甜苦辣,敢问路在何方,路在脚下”。 同样的,我们今日所面对的种种挑战,也需要靠互相合作,互相学习,才能够一起克服,走出一条更好的路。
13. 各位女士们,先生们,朋友们,2023世界航海装备 大会汇聚了世界各地的政府、行业, 和组织代表,提供了一个很好的互相沟通和学习的平台。
14. 我祝大家在这两天的讨论中取得丰硕的成果。我也祝贺福建省人民政府、中华人民共和国工业和信息化部、中华人民共和国交通运输部、福州市人民政府和中国电子信息产业发展研究院成功举办2023 世界航海装备大会。
15. 谢谢大家!
