Initiated by the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) and organised by student leaders from maritime-related societies in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore University of Social Sciences and Singapore Polytechnic, the Maritime Youth Forum is an annual platform for students across Singapore’s tertiary institutions to come together, exchange ideas and build connections with the maritime community. This year, the event hosted over 350 youths and industry professionals, with the youths networking with industry professionals, interacting with peers from different institutions and disciplines, and engaging in discussions on developments in the maritime industry and the impact on careers.
SMF Chairman, Mr. Hor Weng Yew, welcomes more than 350 students and industry professionals to the Maritime Youth Forum 2026
Mr. Baey Yam Keng, Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, was the Guest-of-Honour.
A highlight of the forum was a student-moderated panel discussion themed “The Future of Shipping for the Next Generation”, which discussed the acceleration of digitalisation, the growing adoption of AI and sustainability, as well as how youths can tap on new opportunities to build future-ready maritime careers.
(Right to left) Moderated by Mr. Eleos Tan, the panel on “The Future of Shipping for the Next Generation” comprised Ms. Lim Ying Ying, MOS Baey Yam Keng, Mr. Hor Weng Yew, and Mr. Ang Wee Keong.
The panelists were:
- Mr. Baey Yam Keng, Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
- Mr. Hor Weng Yew, Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation
- Mr. Ang Wee Keong, Chief Executive, Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore
- Ms. Lim Ying Ying, Vice President – Ocean Transportation APAC, Cargill
- (Moderator) Mr. Eleos Tan, a Maritime Studies student, Nanyang Technological University
The panel discussion was followed by a dinner reception, where student attendees visited the career booths of 17 leading maritime companies to learn more about the diverse career pathways and opportunities in the maritime sector. The list of participating companies can be found in Annex A.
MOS Baey Yam Keng connects with attendees following the panel discussion.
Photo Credit: Ministry of Transport
“The Singapore Maritime Foundation initiated the Maritime Youth Forum in 2023 to create a platform for students with an interest in maritime to gather and to interact with industry professionals. I am particularly pleased to see the student leaders taking the lead to organise this with SMF, making this a tradition and an event that all of us look forward to. I thank our partners across the public and private sectors for sharing our commitment to build a talent pipeline for the collective good of the industry,” said Mr. Hor Weng Yew, Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation.
Source: Singapore Maritime Foundation
