Staff and shipping community colleagues of shipowner Eastern Pacific Shipping raised more than SGD 1m ($745,000) for charity in recent days with a remarkable collective physical effort.
They walked, ran and cycled the equivalent of nearly twice around the world, racking up an astonishing 72,400 km to raise funds for seven charities, six of them in the company's home city of Singapore, far exceeding initial expectations.
“I have to say that we feel beyond proud but also very much humbled by the success of this event,” Eastern Pacific chief executive Cyril Ducau, told TradeWinds.
“It was just amazing to see our employees onshore and offshore all getting so involved but also the shipping community as a whole coming to support.
“I’m also extremely grateful that at the end of the day, this team-building exercise has produced significant financial support for seven amazing charities.”
Social media showed Eastern Pacific staff walking, running and cycling around the streets of Singapore, London and many other cities around the world, as well as using treadmills and exercise bikes both on land and on board ships at sea.
Ducau said the launch of the project as part of the company’s EPS Cares initiative was met with cautious optimism.
“Everyone believed in it and wanted it to work but felt the goals of 40,075 km and SGD $1m were a bit lofty. But in true EPS fashion, our people bought-in to the ambitious idea and focused on execution, and the results speak for themselves,” he said.
A total of 3,200 people recorded 2,700 activities that were all logged by EPS clubs on the activity app Strava.
In addition to donations of corporate partners and individuals, the Singapore government agreed to match funds raised dollar-for-dollar as part of its post-Covid-19 ‘fortitude’ budget.
The six Singapore charities are the Children’s Aid Society, Community Chest, Ronald McDonald House Charities, School Pocket Money Fund, Singapore Environment Council and Willing Hearts.
The seventh is global cause Mercy Ships, as part of its Cargo Day initiative.
Among the corporate supporters were Clarksons, Braemar ACM, Eastport, Jarsin, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Pacific Bulk Shipping, ST Shipping, XT Shipping, Ifchor, ContiOcean, DNV GL, New Times Shipbuilding, Fuji Trading, GAC, Gulf Oil Marine, North Group, Wikborg Rein, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and INTLCO.
TradeWinds Editor-in-Chief Julian Bray contributed with a ride with some of his cycling clubmates in London.
