SINGAPORE — Multilateral co-operation is key to ensuring maritime security, President Tony Tan Keng Yam said on Monday (May 15) as he presided over Singapore’s inaugural international maritime review involving 46 warships and delegates from 44 countries.
Navies which took part in the review, part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), include those from the United States, China, Japan, Russia and Australia. More than 30 navy chiefs and deputies, and coast guard director-generals from 44 countries were also present at the event.
Speaking at the Changi Naval Base, Dr Tan said no country can manage the growing range of complex transnational security threats on its own.
He added: “To ensure a stable maritime order as well as safe and secure seas, multilateral co-operation is key. The RSN has built up a strong and well-connected network of partnerships with like-minded navies.”
(Click on graphic to expand: Warships berthed at RSS Singapura-Changi Naval Base participating in the International Maritime Review. Graphic: Ministry of Defence)
Dr Tan noted RSN’s collaboration with other navies in areas such as combating piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Malacca Straits, as well as its participation in bilateral exercises, and international search and rescue operations.
“The RSN’s stealth frigates and Landing Ships Tank have participated in multinational counter-piracy task forces, including the Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 in the Gulf of Aden,” Dr Tan said. “In fact, the RSN has taken command of CTF 151 four times, leading key partners in contributing to global maritime security.”
At the event, Dr Tan also renamed Changi Naval Base to “RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base” in tribute to the RSN’s heritage and role in defending Singapore’s sea lines of communication.
He added: “RSS Singapura was the name of RSN’s first headquarters. Naming Changi Naval Base as RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base will serve as a reminder to our sailors of RSN’s heritage and the RSN’s vital role in defending Singapore.
“As a maritime nation in a maritime region, Singapore’s security and success are all the more inextricably linked to the sea. We rely on freedom of access to the sea for economic prosperity and progress. In this regard, the role of the RSN is critical to Singapore’s survival as a nation.”
After his speech, Dr Tan inspected several visiting warships berthed at the Changi Naval Base. He later boarded the RSS Independence – the latest RSN warship that was commissioned on May 5 – to inspect the other warships participating in the maritime review that are anchored off the Singapore Strait.
(Click on graphic to expand: Warships anchored at the Singapore Strait off RSS Singapura-Changi Naval Base participating in the International Maritime Review. Graphic: Ministry of Defence)
