The newly refurbished centre has been upgraded and relocated from another part of the port, and is now a thoroughly modern and spacious facility where seafarers who come into Singapore can find rest and support from MtS’s dedicated team of maritime welfare professionals.
Lee Wai Pong, chairman of MtS in Singapore said: “Whilst shipping has changed much in 40 years, the ethos of The Mission to Seafarers to provide quality care to seafarers whose ships call at ports spread across 260 ports in 71 countries remains unchanged. Opening of the new IDIC in Jurong Port is testimony of the continuity and strength of MtS commitment to its mission and I am proud to be part of the team to uphold those values and to make the opening a reality.”
Tan Beng Tee, assistant chief executive (development) of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), was the special guest at the opening ceremony.
Lee added: “The MPA has also been a crucial partner in Singapore and provides an annual operating grant which is divided among the maritime charities who work here. These funds are dedicated to further our efforts to provide welfare and care to seafarers in concrete and demonstrable ways. For us, this translates into operation of the centre, ship visits, ship blessings and ministering to abandoned seafarers.”
Tan Beng Tee (left) from MPA with Lee Wai Pong of MtS
Also attending the opening ceremony was the Stephen Miller, MtS regional director for East Asia, who said: “We depend upon seafarers to ship over 90% of the world commodities to market, without them Singapore would not be the place it is today.
“By the opening of this new centre, Singapore is honouring those seafarers who give up much, particularly sacrificing time away from family and home to man the ships that bring the world’s commodities and products to us where we live.
“By providing this home away from home, the Mission in Singapore is helping in its way to bring back into contact seafarers with their families and helps make that sacrifice a little easier to bear.”
