Strengthening Maritime Bonds at Beihai Nite - SeaVoices - Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) Publication

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06 May 2024

3 mins

Strengthening Maritime Bonds at Beihai Nite

The first-ever SMOU Beihai Nite on 29 March 2024, held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Beihai, was an evening of appreciation to SMOU Chinese seafarers and their shipping companies. With two prior events—SMOU Officers’ Seminar and Maritime Forum, which had just been successfully concluded—the SMOU Beihai Nite rounded up the union’s efforts in supporting the maritime industry in China.

The event had an element of importance with the presence of Mr Lu Xing Dong, Vice Mayor of Beihai; leaders from the China Seafarer and Construction Workers’ Union (CSCWU); the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) of Guangxi Province in China; SMOU officials; and Singapore and Chinese shipping companies.

Speaking in Mandarin to more than 350 guests from the maritime community and tripartite and shipping representatives, General Secretary of SMOU Ms Mary Liew declared, “Tonight, we embark on a journey to express our heartfelt appreciation to our Chinese seafarers and their affiliated companies. Your unwavering dedication ensures the smooth functioning of the global supply chain, often at the cost of precious moments with their loved ones.”

Ms Liew highlighted that Beihai Nite was dedicated to honouring Chinese seafarers’ hard work and sacrifice and recreating the vibrant atmosphere of the union’s events in Singapore, symbolising the unity and camaraderie that define the union’s collective efforts and reaffirming commitment to support one another.

Acknowledging the contribution of Sinocrew Maritime Services in organising Beihai Nite, Ms Liew thanked the company for its support in holding such a successful event. After her address Guest-of-Honour, Mr Lu Xing Dong delivered a rousing speech, praising the beauty of Beihai and encouraging guests to return again.

True to its promise of throwing a great party in Beihai, the programme from start to finish was celebratory and vibrant.

During a time of toasting, SMOU introduced guests to a special way of toasting pertinent to Singapore by shouting “yum seng,” a Cantonese phrase that means “drink to victory.” All across the room, guests were seen and heard, yelling out and stretching the word “yum” until their lungs ran out of air before ending it with a short, punchy “seng” in unison. It was an entertaining cultural experience for the Chinese guests.

Throughout the dinner, guests were wowed by Duo Acrobat performances, participated in emcee games, and were entertained by traditional dance performers and the live band by He Yu Lu.

CadetsPlus cadets from the programme were lapping up the fun and vibrant atmosphere, and many were seen recording performances on their mobile phones.

Guests were excited and looking forward to their chances of winning table draw, seafarers draw, and lucky draw prizes. A crowd-pulling karaoke session saw guests showing off their vocal chops.

Just as guests walked out of the event with fond memories of having had a great time, the one they would remember best is the ‘yum seng’ shout of victory.

Chinese seafarers, may you be energised and ready to take on the world!

“We will continue to value-add to our shipping companies and train their cadets wherever they are.” – Ms Mary Liew, SMOU General Secretary

SMOU has had its footprints in China as far back as 2007, when the first CadetsPlus Programme started in Qing Dao. Since then, the programme broadened its training region in Asia to cover India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand. With a harvest exceeding 1500 Chinese cadets (to date) onboarded over 13 years, the fruit speaks volumes of the programme’s effectiveness in preparing cadets for their maritime careers.