Embargoed until after delivery
Please check against delivery
Your Excellency, Mr. Tormod Andresen, Ambassador of Royal Norwegian Embassy to Singapore
Dr. Henrik Madsen, Group President and CEO, DNV-GL
Mr. Remi Eriksen, Group Vice President and COO, DNV-GL
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen
Introduction
1. I am pleased to join you this evening for the opening of DNV-GL’s new Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore.
2. Today’s opening is also of special significance, as it coincides with DNV-GL’s 150th anniversary. I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to Dr Madsen, Mr Eriksen and your team on your past 150 years of success, and on the opening of your new Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore.
DNV-GL’s Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore
3. DNV-GL is the largest marine and offshore classification society, and one of the leading technical advisors to the global oil and gas industry, in the world today. The 600-man Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore will play a key role in serving the global and regional needs of companies from the Maritime, Oil & Gas, Energy and Business Advisory sectors. In addition, DNV-GL’s Clean Technology and Deep Technology Centres that are co-located here will drive innovation in areas such as maritime safety and environment, as well as deep sea equipment and transportation.
4. Your decision to base your regional headquarters in Singapore is a strong vote of confidence in our people and our industry. On behalf of the Government and our agencies, especially EDB, I would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to you for your trust in, and commitment to, Singapore.
Marine and Offshore Industry
5. The marine and offshore industry is an important pillar of Singapore’s economy, contributing close to 8 per cent of the manufacturing sector’s total value added in 2013. Over the years, the industry has grown to encompass a vibrant and diverse range of companies, from rig builders to providers of offshore support services, manufacturers of specialized equipment, and classification societies, like DNV-GL.
6. Today, Singapore is home to leading marine and offshore companies, such as Sembcorp Marine and Keppel Offshore & Marine, which together produce the majority of the world’s high-spec jack-up oil rigs, and account for 70 per cent of the global market for Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) conversions. Our shipyards have earned this global leadership position and built their good reputation over the years with their consistent track record of delivering quality products safely, on schedule, and within budget.
7. Our marine and offshore industry is in a good position to benefit from two key growth trends in the global marine and offshore industry. First, maritime traffic in the Asia Pacific region and beyond is set to grow. Second, global energy demand will continue to rise in the foreseeable future on the back of a growing consumer class, particularly in emerging markets. There will be demand for exploration and production activities in deeper waters and harsher environments, as industry leaders develop stronger capabilities and smarter ways of accessing previously inaccessible hydrocarbon reserves. Both trends will fuel increased demand for sophisticated products and services, which Singapore and leading classification societies, like DNV-GL, are well-positioned to provide.
Opportunities for Singaporeans in the Marine & Offshore Industry
8. The marine and offshore industry is important to Singapore, also because it offers good careers for Singaporeans. Close to 20,000 locals are employed in this industry today, mostly in skilled jobs in HQ services, project management, design, and production engineering. With the strong base of capabilities in Singapore, Singaporeans have the opportunity to be exposed to some of the most globally complex and sophisticated technologies for offshore exploration and production. This industry also offers interesting international posting opportunities; for instance, to the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Norway and the Middle East, amongst other locations.
9. A good illustration of the career prospects and opportunities in this industry can be seen from the personal experience of Mr Ernest Wee, who is with us this evening. Ernest started his career with DNV-GL at the age of 25, as a junior engineer specialising in mechanical engineering and naval architecture. Over the last three decades, he has had the opportunity to work on large offshore platforms and FPSO projects around the world, in West Africa, Myanmar, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. He also had the opportunity to upgrade himself by attending courses, workshops, seminars and conferences relating to his area of work. Today, Ernest is the Head of the Marine Engineering Section in DNV-GL Oil & Gas, and oversees a team comprising Naval Architects, Structural Engineers and Marine Engineers.
10. Looking to the future, we envisage new developments in next-generation technologies, such as arctic drilling, ultra-deep water drilling and deep sea mining. New technologies will emerge with the prospect of making deepwater oil & gas exploration and production more efficient, more environmentally friendly and safer. Therefore, as we continue to grow design and innovation activities in this industry in Singapore, we can look forward to even more exciting career opportunities for Singaporeans.
Singapore’s Commitment to Developing the Marine and Offshore Industry
11. The Singapore Government is committed to the future development of our marine and offshore industry, and will continue to invest in capability development to support the industry’s continued growth.
12. Talent development is a key focus in our efforts. To support the needs of the industry, academic programs in marine and offshore engineering, as well as in offshore oil and gas technologies, have been launched at our universities. For instance, at the National University of Singapore (NUS), more than 300 students have graduated with oil & gas specialisations since 2005. In 2011, a Masters programme in Offshore Technology was launched to equip postgraduates with specialised skills for this sector.
13. We are also encouraging public-private collaborations in R&D. For example, the Keppel-NUS Corporate Laboratory was launched three months ago to translate cutting-edge technologies developed in laboratories, into solutions for real world problems faced in industry. This tie-up, supported by the National Research Foundation, will help strengthen innovation in our marine and offshore industry. It also serves as a good example of the kind of partnerships that we seek to foster amongst our universities, institutes and our companies.
14. In line with increased global attention on sustainable energy management in the marine and offshore industry and beyond, we will also be placing greater emphasis on systems-level innovation across energy generation, transmission and consumption. On this front, public R&D centres focusing on energy have been established, such as the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).
15. We also recognise Singapore can play a key role in enabling new technologies. We are therefore keen to forge even stronger partnerships with leading industry players, such as DNV-GL, as we strengthen our combined capabilities for innovation. The Clean Technology and Deepwater Technology Centres are a great start, and I look forward to many more opportunities for collaboration in the future.
Conclusion
16. Once again, I would like to congratulate Dr Madsen and Mr Eriksen and your team at DNV-GL on the 150th anniversary of DNV-GL, and the opening of your Asia-Pacific headquarters. Thank you for choosing Singapore as your home in the Asia-Pacific region, and I wish you every success in the years ahead. We look forward to working even more closely with you to create a safe and sustainable future for our marine and offshore industry. Thank you.