At a press of a button, Lui Tuck Yew, Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Defence, on Sunday officially kicked off the 10thedition of Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2015.
The five-day shipping and maritime extravaganza will feature 30 events, where some 54,000 public participants and high-powered delegates from around the world will converge.
SMW’s anchor event is Sea Asia 2015, the region’s premier shipping and maritime conference and exhibition, which is expected to attract more than 14,000 participants from the length and breadth of the global shipping industry. Sea Asia, jointly organised by Seatrade and Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF).
At the SMW 2015 opening ceremony, Lui said, “Singapore Maritime Week brings together stakeholders from around the world to exchange views on key issues of the day. Over the years, SMW has grown in size and significance, and is now one of the largest maritime events in the region. The expansion of SMW reflects the growing role that Singapore plays as an international hub port and maritime centre.”
Sunday’s opening ceremony celebrated Singapore’s long and proud maritime history. Children from Cantonment Primary School took the audience on a voyage back in time.
Their engaging and lively dance performance portrayed vividly the poignant story of how their forefathers in their different capacities built Singapore to what it is today. Not surprisingly, the audience was totally captivated and enchanted, and gave them a rousing round of applause and cheers.
Maritime pioneers too literally had their day in the sun as they were greeted and thanked by Lui for their invaluable contributions in laying the keel of Singapore’s shipping and maritime industry.
Lui also officiated the opening of the inaugural Maritime Heritage Exhibition. Assembled by MPA and its partners, including the SMF, the Singapore Shipping Association and the Association of Singapore Marine Industries, it tells the story of how the past and present are shaping the future of Maritime Singapore. Walking through the five zones of the exhibition, visitors will experience the transformation of Maritime Singapore through artefacts, interactive presentations and multi-media displays.
The exhibition, which is at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, is open to the public till 24 April 2015, from 10am to 9pm daily.
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