Singapore

The Singapore Clipper Stopover was nothing short of amazing, fuelled, in part, by our yacht’s first place finish in Race 5!  The victorious “CAPE BRETON ISLAND” sailed into the Marina at Keppel Bay on January 23, 2010 to the cheers of thousands.  If those cheering hadn’t heard of Cape Breton Island before, they had now.

The following week provided further promotional and business opportunities for Cape Breton Island via a business reception for over 140 people from various key sectors at the official residence of Canada’s High Commissioner to Singapore, and our participation in a Canadian Chamber of Commerce event as well. 

Representatives from ECBC, including CEO John Lynn, led the trade mission with World Trade Centre Atlantic Canada, plus Jim Wooder of the Sydney Marine Group and Lori Kennedy of Louisbourg Seafoods.  Ms. Kennedy’s company provided lobster, shrimp and scallops to the events in Singapore, held one on one meetings with several key importers of seafood, and conducted site visits in market as well.  Ms. Kennedy indicates “I really do feel we will be doing business in Singapore. They are very interested in our company because we have access to one of the richest sources of seafood in the world. So I intend to build relationships with all the people I’ve met.”

Mr. Wooder also met with shipping industry officials from such organizations as Maersk, APL, PSA and Keppel, to highlight the attributes and investment opportunities to be found in Atlantic Canada and to learn more from the world’s largest trans-shipment port.  Singapore carriers and port operators were interested to hear more about Sydney’s recently announced agreement with a major US port: a pivotal alliance between the Ports of Philadelphia and Delaware and the Sydney Marine Group, a consortium of public and private sector interests with direct involvement in the Port of Sydney. The Port of Sydney believes this will open up huge potential for links with Singapore based companies shipping to North America via the Suez Canal with the advancement of a deep-water container terminal at ‘Sydport’ capable of accommodating mega post Panamax vessels.  “Our meetings in Singapore have been meaningful and encouraging,” said Jim Wooder, chairperson of the Sydney Marine Group. “We have had the opportunity to gain helpful insights into the market from a south-east Asian perspective and start dialogues we can build upon as our plans move forward.

Our High Commissioner, His Excellency David Sevigny states “The discussion we’ve had with Singaporean friends is that they had no idea of what was available in Atlantic Canada – and Cape Breton is a sort of flag ship for Atlantic Canada. So it’s been a wonderful experience for us in raising the Canadian profile and raising the profile of Cape Breton here in Singapore.”  Visit the following link to view His Excellency speaking about Cape Breton in Singapore - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMTrl8DQQMI

Other Highlights of the mission included a Robbie Burns Day cook-off between the skipper of the CAPE BRETON ISLAND, Jan Ridd, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, CEO of Clipper Ventures, and the skippers of the Edinburgh and Singapore yachts.  Hands down, the round was won by Cape Breton Island!  We were really on a roll in Singapore!  Our Sail Day provided us another opportunity to promote Cape Breton Island to local influencers, including Sharanjit Leyl, a main producer/ presenter for BBC TV Business News Asia.

Our Commemoration of Friendship which marks over 400 years of the extension of friendship offered by Grand Chief Membertou and First Nation inhabitants to visitors to our shores was also signed in Singapore, as it has been in every international port to date.  Herman Ho, Managing Director of TMX Show Productions, signed the scroll on behalf of Singapore at our reception at the High Commissioner’s residence, officiated by John Lynn, CEO of Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation, and supported by Cape Breton Island Clipper crew member and RCMP officer Dan McCarthy dressed in his distinctive red serge.