Ever wanted to tour a shipyard and see how ships are repaired in Singapore? Here’s your chance at My Community’s Open My Factory Visit to Eng Hup Shipping & Bee Sin Shipyard.
This exclusive tour organised by My Community will give you insight into the Maritime industry in Singapore and how vessels are docked, assessed and repaired. We also got a chance to speak to the engineers at the shipyard to hear their personal stories. You can even spot the famous decommissioned A&W Riverboat docked there!
Tour a Shipyard: What Participants Will See During The Experience
First, participants who have signed up for the tour happening every second Saturday of the month will gather at Clementi MRT.
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From there, there will be a bus ferrying the group to Jalan Penjuru, where the landscape changes from an urban one to one with many containers and heavy vehicles.
The tour is led by a guide who is well-versed in the maritime industry. After a safety briefing, participants will put on safety vests, life jackets and helmets then head to the shipyard to see the vessels and workers up close!
We followed the footpaths to see the different parts – where pipes are welded, where ships are docked and repaired, the slipway where vessels can be moved in and out of the water.
We also learnt other essentials of a shipyard including the graving dock, processes of ship repairs and more.
We even saw a sunken ship which was in the process of being scrapped!
One of the highlights of My Community tours is the chance to meet people in unconventional jobs.
Since the maritime industry is often one that is shunned by many, the opportunity to speak to the team gave us more insight into the hardworking folks.
Alvin Tan, a shipyard manager with over 20 years of experience in the industry, fielded questions humorously and shared earnestly about his job. He shared that it was very hard work doing ship repairs daily, there was little downtime, issues were also varied and complex.
Because of the nature of the work, those in the maritime industry are known to be resourceful and resilient. Our economy relies significantly on this tough industry and the tour certainly drove home the point.
More About Eng Hup Shipping
Perhaps you are familiar with the ferry that takes recruits to and fro Pulau Tekong, or dined aboard A&W Riverboat in the 90s. You can take a closer look at the vessels (if you’re in luck) at Eng Hup Shipping. It runs Bee Sin Shipyard and now in its second generation. The company supplies and repairs vessels for both public and private clients – supporting land reclamation and oil rigging projects, ferrying recruits to and fro Tekong. This repair hub services at least 10 vessels per week.
Take Part in My Community’s Open My Factory Tours
Starting in March 2024, participants can participate in my Community’s Open My Factory experiential tours that will bring them to restricted sites, famous household brand factories, heavy industrial sites and embark on a immersive tour of facilities and encounter unsung heroes.
Uncover stories of workers whose work often go unnoticed and deepen our appreciation for them.
Besides Eng Hup Shipping, other places include PSA Container Port, Tower Transit Bulim Bus Depot, DoDo Seafood Treats, Tai Hua Soy Sauce, SingPost, TuasOne Waste-to-Energy Plant and ALBA E-Waste Logistics & Sorting Hub.
Visits to Eng Hup Shipping will take place every second Saturday of the month from 10 am to 12 pm. Tickets are priced at $20 per person. Participants have to be 13 and above to participate.
For more details on other tours, click here.
If you enjoyed this story, you may also enjoy this one on other things to do in March or what it is like to pay a visit to a Waste-to-Energy Plant.
