Page 22 - Scholarship Guide Feb 2019

20 TAN CHONG YUAN

reinvents processes to finetune best practices to sus-
tain a competitive edge. Singapore continually com-
ing out on top in international port rankings is a tes-
tament to the world-class regulatory standards MPA
upholds, cementing Singapore’s status as an interna-
tional maritime hub.
Besides strategic organisational works, Planning
Division conducts scans on how global developments
impact Maritime Singapore. I was privileged to sit in
and value-add to a revision session of a joint study be-
tween MPA’s Futures and Strategic Planning Depart-
ment and NTU’s Maritime Studies Programme. This
reflects MPA’s vested interest in developing maritime
expertise in the local institutes of higher education.
I thoroughly enjoyed my internship at Planning
Division and learned so much more about MPA’s
organisational work beyond its port regulatory role.
Witnessing MPA’s dynamism during my summer in-
ternship, I am excited to see the substantial progress
MPA makes towards establishing Singapore as a pre-
mier global hub port.

Why the MPA scholarship?
The world witnessed an evolution from mercantilists
hoarding precious metal and opposing free trade to
the expansion of global supply chain and trade liber-
alisation. Apart from Singapore’s geographical lottery
to be an ideal port hub, I have always been intrigued
by the defining factors that establish Singapore as a
world-renowned logistics hub. I have witnessed the
numerous yard cranes that dot the city port terminal
dwindle in recent years, part of MPA’s Next Genera-
tion Port 2030 (NGP 2030) initiative to consolidate
port activities and to expand port operation capacity
at the Tuas Terminal, in the process also freeing up
prime waterfront land for economic developments.
This observation made me realise that one possible
reason for Singapore’s competitive edge in tranship-
ment and port trade is the port authority’s unwavering
commitment to improvement.
What were some of the memorable encounters Blending my interest in economics with work at
during your internship at the Maritime and MPA excites me. The volatility and competitiveness
Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), and why of sea freight make working at MPA challenging. The
are they memorable? cross-disciplinary nature of work which weaves in
My fondest takeaway from my eight-week-long intern- aspects of international relations, foreign affairs, em-
ship at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ployment and incentives to foreign carriers piques my
(MPA) came from working under the Corporate Plan- interest to learn and to appreciate the different facets
ning Division. Like a cog that makes the machine involved in every task. I am extremely excited and mo-
function, the Planning Division helps to align division- tivated to be part of the several initiatives lined up till
al work plans with MPA’s strategic thrusts. 2030 to make Maritime Singapore more robust.
I interned at the Corporate Planning Division over
the summer, assisting the small dedicated team with
the planning and execution of the annual Manage-
ment Advance, an off-site for cross-divisional discus- “The cross-disciplinary
sion of respective divisions’ strategic challenges, with
Tan Chong Yuan the aim of cultivating inter-organisational synergy. nature of work which weaves
MPA Undergraduate Franklin’s famous adage, “Failing to plan is planning
Scholarship to fail,” captures the essence of the emphasis Cor- in aspects of international
porate Planning places on annual work plan exer- relations, foreign affairs,
Age: 22
cises and quarterly divisional performance reviews.
Attained: I learned that understanding the purpose of and the employment and incentives
‘A’ Levels end objectives of a task improves clarity of thought. to foreign carriers piques
As mundane as the annual work plan exercise may
Now: seem, it effectively nudges divisions to ponder on re-
University College cent achievements and create near-term blueprints of my interest to learn and
London, Economics
tangible deliverables with quantifiable performance to appreciate the different
From: linked to MPA’s strategic KPIs.
River Valley High School MPA never rests on its laurels and continually facets involved in every task.”