Eastern Pacific Shipping launches S$200,000 scholarship fund to support maritime studies in Singapore

‘The EPS Scholarship Fund presented by the Idan & Batia Ofer Family Foundation’ aims to award up to 10 full-term scholarships per year to Singaporeans pursuing a career in the maritime industry

SINGAPORE, 12 April 2021 – For the past 30 years, Singapore has been home to Eastern Pacific Shipping’s (EPS) global headquarters, where today it manages over 160 container, dry bulk, and tanker vessels. It is from the Lion City where EPS grew into a leading global tonnage provider committed to industry -wide decarbonisation and environmental preservation for future generations.

The EPS Cares Initiative is a corporate social responsibility programme created by EPS to support people and communities through donations, fundraising, and volunteer work. In 2013, ‘The Sammy Ofer EPS Scholarship Fund’ was established as part of the EPS Cares Initiative and was named in honour of EPS’ late founder. Initially intended for children of EPS employees embarking on tertiary education, the fund has awarded over S$126,000 to date.

Today, EPS announces that it is significantly expanding the scholarship to better serve the Singaporean maritime community. The ‘EPS Scholarship Fund presented by the Idan & Batia Ofer Family Foundation’ will pledge up to S$200,000 per year, for an initial period of three years. The fund will provide full and mid programme academic scholarships to Singaporeans wishing to pursue a career in maritime business, marine engineering, or a life at sea as a seafarer. The initiative helps EPS fulfil its commitment to future generations by providing students with an opportunity to become the maritime leaders of tomorrow.

EPS CEO Cyril Ducau states, “The aim of this fund is not just to provide financial support, but also to serve as a bridge for the next generation of maritime leaders in Singapore. We want to ensure that those who have a genuine interest in building a rewarding career in maritime have the tools and resources needed to develop their talents and maximise their potential. This scholarship will hopefully also create awareness about the many opportunities within the maritime industry and inspire young people to consider a career in one of the most dynamic industries in the world.“

The scholarship fund will be awarded in cooperation with the MaritimeONE scholarship programme, a key manpower initiative administered by the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF). Both organisations have a shared objective of reaching out to the community to strengthen the local maritime ecosystem.

Ms Tan Beng Tee, Executive Director of SMF, shares, “We are heartened by EPS’ firm commitment to nurture maritime talent. The MaritimeONE scholarship initiative is testament of the strong partnership and dedication between SMF and the industry to nurture and grow a pool of maritime expertise in Singapore.  We hope that more students will be motivated to join the global and diverse maritime industry which offers an array of exciting career opportunities.”  

Prospective applicants are asked to visit the scholarship application page to learn about approved academic programmes, eligibility prerequisites, submission, and bonding guidelines.

 

 

About Eastern Pacific Shipping
With a history spanning 60 years, Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd. (EPS) is a leading shipping company that is committed to the green and technology-driven growth of the industry. Headquartered in Singapore for the past 30 years, EPS is driven by its mission to be the safe and efficient transportation provider of choice to the shipping industry. Empowering that mission are 5,000 skilled and dedicated sea and shore staff that oversee a versatile fleet of 17 million deadweight-tonnes across three core segments of containership, dry bulk, and tanker vessels. EPS’ shore team is fully integrated with in-house commercial, finance, innovation, IT, legal, manning, operations, and technical departments. For details, visit http://www.epshipping.com.sg


About the Idan and Batia Ofer Family Foundation
Idan and Batia Ofer have had a significant impact on a vast array of projects, organisations, charities and educational institutions. Through the Idan and Batia Ofer Family Foundation, they have funded £25m to the London Business School’s Sammy Ofer Centre, and established the Sammy Ofer Graduate Fellowship Fund for Emerging Leaders from Israel and Palestine at the Harvard Kennedy School. In addition to their generous support, they serve on various boards and councils. Idan is a founding member of the Global Advisory Council of Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a member of both the Penn Medicine London Council and Harvard Global Advisory Council.  He is also the founder of the School of Sustainability, which opened its doors at the IDC Herzliya in 2012. Batia is a Trustee of the Royal Academy of Arts and sits on the Sotheby’s and V&A International Council and on the board of the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation. Furthermore, Batia is a Patron for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the UK and she founded and chairs the Art of Wishes events. Both Idan and Batia sit on the Dean’s Executive Board at the Harvard Kennedy School.

About MaritimeONE
Launched in April 2007 by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI) and Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), the MaritimeONE (Outreach NEtwork) is a key platform for all maritime stakeholders to synergise efforts to raise awareness of the maritime industry among students and interest them in maritime education and careers via various outreach initiatives. As the Secretariat of the MaritimeONE, SMF works with strategic partners to organise a suite of initiatives, including outreach campaigns, industry talks, networking events and MaritimeONE scholarships. For details, visit https://www.smf.com.sg 

About SMF
Established in 2004, the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) is a private-sector led organisation that aims to develop and promote Singapore as an International Maritime Centre (IMC), forging partnerships with the public and private sectors. SMF’s initiatives aim to strengthen the cluster, attract young talent to the industry, and support work on important issues such as decarbonisation. SMF’s Board of Directors comprises prominent leaders in the Singapore maritime community. For details, visit https://www.smf.com.sg