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FEATURES

by fusing together traditionally separate
areas of shipping in order to come up

with unconventional and unprecedented

solutions to contemporary problems.
“The SSA YEG allows us to train our

ability to think in an interdisciplinary

manner when we meet our peers
from all the diferent aspects of the

fragmentation.”

The younger generation see the industry

as ‘old school,’ Mr Batura explained, and
they are coming in and bringing in a fresh

lease of life into the industry.

He said: “Shipping is really old school
in that sense and it’s mostly run by a

generation behind us, like my father. That’s

how things are run. Being in the IT industry
Akanksha and Aditya Batura, Sinoda Shipping Agency Pte Ltd.

“There’s so much manpower that can be saved opportunity to volunteer, and what I

hoped to achieve was to encourage more
and automation that can be brought in to people to join the industry. I wanted a new

make your life easier. At the end of the day it’s generation with younger people joining.”

Maritime lawyer Sue-Ann Gan is a Senior
the young players who are making the change
Associate with law irm Norton Rose
Fullbright Asia (LLP).| 21
and they have to manage the change.”
Ms Gan has seen YEG grow from just a

handful of members to the large group it
I see that as a shortcoming, because you is today over the years that she has been a

have to keep up with the times.member.

“You have to keep changing your She said: “I got to know about the SSA
practices to keep up with what is when I joined my irst irm. At the time

happening at the time. What’s best now because I was so junior the SSA wasn’t so

might not be ideal for ive years later. I see relevant to me because I saw this order

that gap and I am trying to bridge that. of people and they had their own cliques.
My ield of expertise is how we can make At that time the YEG was a relatively new

things better.platform and I think it’s a great way of

“There’s so much manpower that can bringing people who didn’t really know
be saved and automation that can be anyone in the industry together and to

brought in to make your life easier. At the form friendships outside of your oice.

end of the day it’s the young players who “The YEG organised a lot of networking
are making the change and they have to sessions. Through those networking

manage the change.”sessions you meet various other people

General Manager at Sinanju Group of from other industries. Maritime is not just
Sue-Ann Gan, Norton Rose Fullbright Asia (LLP)
Companies Desmond Chong, who was the about law and sitting at your desk. It’s
irst Vice Chairman to head the YEG, irst a career. Most people in Singapore would about meeting your brokers, ship owners,

got involved with the organisation after go for anything but shipping. The people I the P&I Clubs. When you meet all these

seeing so few young people in shipping.met were pretty senior in terms of age and people it all makes sense as to how it
He explained: “When I irst joined the experience and I was one of the few young all works. I think that’s very important

industry there were not many young guys that were around.because you need to know people in this

individuals who decided to join shipping as“When the YEG was set up I took theindustry.”

ISSUE 50 | WAVES