Held on 18 May 2026, the event was a collaborative effort between SSA Young Executive Group (YEG) Committee and Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU). In his opening remarks, YEG Committee Chair Mr Prabjot Singh Chopra emphasised the importance of everyone, regardless of role, to “have the ability to create safe spaces”.
The event began with a presentation by Capt. Ashish Malik, Managing Director of Anglo Eastern Ship Management (Asia), followed by two panel sessions.
Opening Presentation: Leadership and Effective Communication Go Hand-in-Hand
In his presentation, Capt. Malik tapped on his expertise at Anglo Eastern and shared the importance of effective communication. As the maritime sector is complex and multi-cultural, clear communication is crucial to prevent misunderstandings. He underscored that it was not just a soft skill, but a powerful leadership tool.
Panel 1: Different Voices, Shared Goals
Moderated by SSA Councillor and International Committee Vice-Chair Dr Akanksha Batura Pai, panellists explored the gap between shore and sea operations, which often grapple with different perspectives and priorities. Communication is crucial to bridge this gap, such as providing context for tasks or sharing knowledge of ground operations to ensure that teams are aligned. It was also important to have mutual respect and trust between both sides.
Another topic that surfaced was compassionate leadership in hierarchy-based environments at sea, where a chain of command is crucial to ensure safety. Leaders should explore how to build a conducive environment at work and have a responsibility to make their crew feel safe.
We thank the panellists for their insightful sharing on how to build a safer, more respectful workplace:
- Capt. Ashish Malik, Managing Director, Anglo Eastern Ship Management (Asia)
- Capt. Hari Subramaniam, Chair, The Nautical Institute Singapore Branch
- Ms Yin Jing Hong, 4th Marine Engineer, BP, and Young SMOU Committee Member
Panel 2: Safety First, Operations Second
Moderated by SSA Councillor and International Committee Chair Capt. Kunal Nakra, the second panel delved into how seafarers prioritise safety even amidst operational pressures. It was important that crew did not feel the need to balance safety against operation efficiency, as the perception of shore offices prioritising operational efficiency is not the reality.
It was also imperative that the crew felt supported by management, through consistent leadership messaging and action, and ‘walking the talk’. Crucially, their response to incidents – instead of finding blame, focusing on facts, deploying roving superintendents and facilitating knowledge-sharing amongst crew members – can show their support for the crew.
We thank the panellists for their insightful sharing on safety and leadership support:
- Ms Yukie Teo, President, WISTA Singapore
- Mr Hisyam Haron, Master Mariner and SMOU Representative
- Ms Lisa Holum, Chief Operating Officer Asia, OSM Thome
- Ms Usha V, Fleet Personnel Manager, IMC Ship Services
The evening ended with a robust networking session where attendees and panellists continued sharing their experiences and thoughts,
For photos of the event, please visit the photo gallery here.
