The Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) continues to surprise the industry by innovating new ways to attract youngsters into the often remote and inaccessible shipping industry.
The foundation tasked with building up the city-state’s shipping workforce has commissioned a children’s book — Secrets of Singapore: Mission Maritime — that adopts a fun approach to painting a holistic picture of Singapore’s maritime scene.
SMF hopes the book will further educate the younger generations about the shipping industry in Singapore and its 700-year maritime journey.
Although it’s marketed as a children’s book, with an overall look that may appeal more to younger audiences, the TradeWinds team found it comprehensive enough to provide even adults with all that they need to know about Singapore’s maritime scene by drawing on historical facts and anecdotes, witty dialogue and clever puns.
The use of characters Spy Guy and Quiiqueg, immersive graphics, bitesize fun facts and activities keeps readers engaged.
The book also offers readers glimpses into different maritime operations behind the scenes and how the future of the industry is being shaped by digital transformation and sustainability.
SMF chairman Hor Weng Yew described Secrets of Singapore: Mission Maritime as “an engaging blend of storytelling and educational content for children to know more about Singapore’s rich maritime heritage and how we are progressing forward as a global maritime hub.”
Developing young talent, nurturing the industry, and promoting Singapore’s shipping sector to the younger generation have been the SMF’s aims since it was formed in 2004.
This is a challenging task as shipping in Singapore, like most port cities worldwide, is a very remote industry with harbours and ships hidden behind high walls and strict security.
Unlike airplanes, trains and many other mechanical machines whose easier accessibility pique the interest of young people, ships are rarely seen and experienced up close.
Secrets of Singapore: Mission Maritime is one of SMF’s many initiatives that are part of a lifecycle approach to give the future generations exposure to the shipping industry at a young age and is the latest addition to the ‘Secrets of Singapore’ series which showcases commissioned works on places such as the National Gallery, Botanic Gardens and Chinatown.
