Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited (Keppel O&M) was bestowed the Offshore & Marine Engineering Award, while Mr Choo Chiau Beng, CEO of Keppel Corporation and Chairman of Keppel O&M was conferred the International Maritime Centre (Individual) Award at this year’s Singapore International Maritime Awards (IMA).

IMA 2009 celebrates the growth of the Singapore maritime cluster and pays tribute to companies and individuals who have contributed outstandingly to the development of Singapore as an International Maritime Centre.

The Offshore & Marine Engineering Award celebrates companies whose activities and achievements contribute significantly to Singapore's attractiveness as a one-stop maritime hub. The International Maritime Centre (Individual) Award recognises industry leaders who played pivotal roles in the transformation of the local offshore and marine industry.

Guest-of-Honour, Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs presented the respective awards to Mr Choo and Keppel O&M, represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tong Chong Heong.

Mr Choo said, “It is a great honour for Keppel and me to receive the engineering and individual awards at the IMA 2009. More importantly, we are heartened by the Maritime and Port Authority’s (MPA) commitment to strengthen the local industry and to raise Singapore's profile at the international level.

“MPA recognises that the maritime industry is a highly collaborative one, and has elicited the active participation of all sectors of the industry to build a strong maritime cluster. This has resulted in closer government-industry ties. Their efforts have also contributed to an increase in international companies setting up offices here in Singapore, bringing us closer to the goal of becoming a major centre of excellence in the maritime and offshore industry.”

As an active member of the local maritime cluster, Keppel has dedicated significant resources to the development and training of talent for the industry, as well as the promotion of the research and development (R&D) of technology.

An industry veteran of close to 40 years, Mr Choo served as a Board Member of MPA from 2003 to 2009 and of the Singapore Maritime Foundation from 2004 to 2009. He is also a Board Member and Council Member of the American Bureau of Shipping, and the Chairman of Det Norske Veritas South East Asia Committee. He is also Singapore's Non-Resident Ambassador to Brazil.

Through his various roles, Mr Choo has also contributed significantly in developing Singapore into the global leader in the design and building of offshore rigs such as jackups and semisubmersibles, and the conversion of Floating Production Storage Offloading vessels.

Mr Choo said, “Teamwork is key to Keppel’s success. Mr Tong Chong Heong and I are privileged to be supported by capable and like-minded colleagues. As we continue to groom more talents and develop technologies for Keppel’s long term growth, we remain steadfast in supporting MPA’s initiatives to build up the R&D expertise and talent base in Singapore.”

Keppel O&M’s strategy to fortify its global leadership position is reflected in its R&D initiatives including the establishment of KOMtech (Keppel Offshore & Marine Technology Centre) in late 2007. The centre employs highly-qualified researchers from across the globe as it assists Keppel O&M’s business units to develop solutions to new challenges in the offshore and marine industry.

Through initiatives such as the Keppel Chair in the National University of Singapore, and the annual Keppel O&M lecture, the Company has invited prominent experts from different maritime centres of excellence to conduct various university courses and public lectures. This has helped to build up a reservoir of expertise through research, sharing and exchange of knowledge and experiences for Singapore and the industry.

“We look forward to work with MPA and the Singapore Government on various ways that could help to improve our companies, industry and the local economy so that we can all emerge from this recession stronger, more competitive and sustainable,” added Mr Choo.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Corporation Limited, Keppel O&M is a leader in offshore rigs, shiprepair and conversion and specialised shipbuilding. Keppel O&M’s near market, near customer strategy is bolstered by a global network of 20 yards in the Asia Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, the Caspian Sea, Middle East and the North Sea regions. Integrating the experience and expertise of its yards worldwide, the group aims to be the provider of choice and partner for solutions for the offshore and marine industry.