Singapore fêtes a record 2006 and looks ahead

Singapore: Raymond Lim, Minister For Transport And Second Minister For Foreign Affairs, congratulated the Singapore-based maritime community for its 2006 performance at the Singapore Maritime Foundation's (SMF) New Year
cocktail reception attended by some 200 people earlier this week.

Lim reflected that Singapore Port handled some 24.8m teu in 2006, a 6.9% increase over the previous year, while total vessel arrivals grew by 14.2% to 1.3bn gt. Bunker sales exceeded the previous year's record by 11.4% to reach 28.4m tonnes.  

To support the growth of maritime services, much focus was also placed
on developing and drawing talent into the industry. SMF, for its part, has
been working with industry partners to create new events and garner more
awareness and buzz about the maritime industry, and it is co-organising with Seatrade the Sea Asia in Singapore this April (2-4).  

SMF chairman SS Teo believe Sea Asia will be a highlight of the year ahead. Describing it as Asia's flagship maritime exhibition and conference, Teo believes that it is timely to highlight the importance of Asia's maritime influence and raise the Asian voice in the international shipping arena, where some 40% of the world's fleet is currently owned by Asian groups.  [12/01/07]