Located at the crossroads of major trade and shipping routes, Singapore is one of the busiest ports in the world for shipping tonnage and container handling. Today, it is a major port of call for some 200 shipping lines with links to more than 600 ports worldwide. Singapore is also an International Maritime Centre (IMC)with a vibrant cluster of maritime activities. A world of international maritime service providers calls Singapore home. They include ship managers, shipbrokers, ship agents, ship operators, ship financiers, marine insurers and P&I Clubs, classification societies, and maritime legal firms.

The use of sophisticated technology and the readiness to further invest in the development of port infrastructure has attracted ships and containers from many countries to call at our port. The awareness of how much planning goes into ensuring the smooth operation of our port will give pupils the confidence that our port is well-equipped and well-managed to meet new challenges.

The visit will give pupils a feel of the activities, which are taking place on our seafront everyday of the year as well as the importance of the port to the well-being, and progress of our country.

It will also:

• Inform students of the roles and functions of the MPA;
  
• Inform and educate students on how MPA is developing and promoting Singapore as a premier hub port and an international maritime centre;
  
• Show how the port is managed by the Singapore port terminal operators, namely, PSA Corporation Ltd and Jurong Port;
  
• Show how MPA uses the latest technologies to manage the many vessels plying the Singapore waters and our port, and to train maritime professionals; and
  
• Highlight the challenges of maritime careers.