MtSS Token of Appre Presn to PSA and PSAM at PSA Horizons

Mr Nelson Quek, Regional CEO, Mr Er Wei Lim, Managing Director of PSA Marine, distinguished colleagues, valued partners, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a privilege to stand before you on behalf of the Mission to Seafarers Singapore. We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to PSA Corporation and PSA Marine for your steadfast support and continued commitment to the wellbeing of seafarers who call at the Port of Singapore.

Seafarers are the backbone of global trade. They work 24/7 under stressful and isolating conditions to transport goods to and from our shores. At MtSS, our mission is to care for their wellbeing … physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually through compassionate and practical services.

Over the years, the strong partnership with PSA has enabled us to offer safe and reliable transportation to seafarers at key locations including PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal, Jurong Port, Marina South Pier, and West Coast Pier. This essential service provides crew members safe access to shore-based amenities and welfare services. Most often, it is the first opportunity they get to step off their vessel in weeks or even months.

We also have the privilege to operate two seafarers’ centres, one at PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal Building 5, and the other located inside Jurong Port. More than just physical spaces, they are safe havens for seafarers to relax and use the Wi-Fi to call home in a peaceful atmosphere. These basic comforts ease the stress and strain that come with being confined on a ship.

Looking ahead, we are excited about the development of a new seafarers’ centre at Tuas Mega Port. We humbly trust that PSA would grant us the opportunity to operate this centre, permitting us to extend our reach to even more seafarers. Our vision is to create another conducive haven where seafarers can take a short break to recharge before returning to duty.

Another key mission is comforting seafarers facing mental health challenges. The prolonged separation from family and friends, limited communication, and the pressures of life at sea takes its toll. At MtSS, we respond with compassion through ship visits, a listening ear, informal counselling, and referrals to professional care. With the access enabled by PSA, we are able to be there for seafarers during some of their vulnerable and needy moments.

Our close collaboration is further strengthened by joint participation in the MPA’s Seafarers’ Welfare Committee. Together with PSA and other industry partners, MtSS champions Singapore’s holistic approach to maritime welfare. This platform allows us to advocate for policies that uphold the dignity, wellbeing, and safety of seafarer. We are honoured to work alongside PSA in this critical initiative.

PSA Corporation and PSA Marine have shown time and again to be more than just world leaders but also champions of seafarers’ welfare. Your roles are not simply operational but alliances rooted in shared values, empathy, conscientiousness, and care for the ‘often taken for granted’ seafarers.

As MtSS continues to function as an independent charity, we look forward to bolstering this partnership, so as to magnify our united impact, committed to serving seafarers and collaborating with the maritime community with distinction and empathy.

In closing, we thank PSA Corporation and PSA Marine for your steadfast support. Together, we are making a difference, one seafarer at a time and in togetherness. You have made a difference in their lives, and most importantly, we can proclaim that you have given Singapore a distinction of being a Port with a Heart!

Thank you

Prof Capt Frederick Francis

Chairman – Mission to Seafarers Singapore

13th May 2025