Welcome Address by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Transport, at SOS & Seacare Lunar New Year Celebration

Brother Kam Soon Huat,
President of the Singapore Organisation of Seamen,

Brother Daniel Tan,
General Secretary of SOS,

Members of the Singapore Organisation of Seamen and Seacare Co-operative,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.     Good afternoon to all and Happy Lunar New Year!

2.     It is my pleasure to be joining you at your Lunar New Year Celebration today. I am very happy to see such a big gathering of members of the SOS and Seacare, as well as representatives from across shipping communities, business associations, trade unions, the Singapore National Co-operative Federation and its affiliates.

SOS & Seacare

3.     Since its establishment in 1971, SOS has been an indispensable part of Maritime Singapore. SOS has tirelessly worked to promote the rights of Singaporean and foreign seafarers, improve their working and living conditions, and help them acquire skills to meet the industry’s evolving needs. In 1994, the SOS and NTUC jointly founded Seacare to benefit Singaporean seamen and their families through more work opportunities and investment projects. As SOS celebrates your 30^th anniversary this year, I am pleased to see SOS grow from strength to strength, with more than 38,000 members from around the world to date.

Attracting, nurturing, and empowering seafarers

4.     To stay relevant and resilient, the maritime workforce will need to be equipped with future-ready skills. We must also continue to attract and nurture interested individuals to take up seafaring careers, facilitate the upskilling of our local seafarers, and improve seafaring talent retention.

5.     I am proud of the strong partnership between the SOS, government, and industry to advance these goals. For example, the SOS co-funds The Tripartite Maritime Scholarship with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union, and shipping companies to groom aspiring ship captains and engineers into the future leaders of Maritime Singapore. Since 2002, more than 240 Tripartite Maritime Scholarships have been given out.

6.     The SOS also launched the Sail Milestone Achievement Programme (SailMAP) in collaboration with its partners to provide each local seafarer with up to S$50,000 when they attain key career milestones. Seafarers also receive allowances to defray loss of income when they are back on shore to prepare for the COC exams, so that they can focus on upgrading their seafaring skills and knowledge during these periods. Since SailMAP’s launch in 2022, close to a hundred seafarers have benefitted from the program.

Improving seafarer welfare

7.     In an industry that often requires seafarers to spend periods away from home, Seacare has emerged as a beacon of support for seafarers who call at the port of Singapore. The Seacare Drop-In Centre at Pasir Panjang Terminal was recently renovated and upgraded, providing seafarers with a place to unwind and connect with their loved ones, including via high speed internet.

8.     Seacare has also fostered an environment that prioritises the wellbeing of seafarers through welfare benefits and schemes to help members defray medical, accommodation and training expenses. For example, the Seacare Medical Scheme offers medical benefits to local and foreign members in Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia & Malaysia, such as complimentary health and eye screening, which I understand is very popular.

Conclusion

10.    On behalf of MPA, I would like to thank the SOS and Seacare for your dedication, commitment, and pivotal role in advancing the welfare of our seafarers, who are critical to our thriving maritime sector.

11.    The welfare of our seafarers is not merely an industry concern, but a shared responsibility between government, industry and unions. We value your unwavering efforts and this close tripartite partnership, and look forward to our continued collaboration in 2024.

12.    Thank you and wishing you all a prosperous and smooth sailing year ahead!