Energised by a shared passion for the maritime industry, close to 150 youth attended the bi-annual Young Mariners’ Networking – Maritime Insights Forum on 14 May 2025. Jointly organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU), the event welcomed maritime students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and the Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA), as well as young seafarers and youths in the maritime sector. 

The forum kicked off with an engaging workshop titled “Building Connections in Maritime,” led by Ms Yasmin Abdeen, an experienced trainer from the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i). Participants learned the essentials of networking—developing strong interpersonal communication, building rapport, and applying the SHIP method (Start conversations, Help whenever possible, Initiate follow-ups, and Practice consistency). Ms Yasmin also provided actionable tips such as using positive body language, ending conversations with a question, and creating common ground.