Speech by Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, at the Overseas Medal Presentation Ceremony for Operation Blue Sapphire (Command)

Chief of Defence Force,
Service Chiefs,
Overseas Service Medal recipients,
Family members,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening.

I am personally delighted to join all of you today at this medal presentation ceremony where we can recognise the achievements and contributions of the SAF Command Team deployed to the Gulf of Aden (GoA) earlier this year. I am especially delighted that family members are here and that you can get to meet them and exchange perspectives on your experiences while you were in the GoA.

The GoA is some 4,000 nautical miles away from Singapore... so we are deployed in an area very far from our part of the world. It may be very far but it is a critical waterway between Asia and Europe which accounts for 20% of global trade. Each year, more than 30,000 vessels carrying millions of tons of crude oil, petroleum goods and other commodities traverse these waters. Shipping companies therefore have a vital interest to step up protection of their ships that transit there. In fact, a World Bank report estimates that piracy in the GoA between 2005 and 2011 cost the global economy US$18 billion each year.

It is quite clear that this waterway is critical to all countries and that the sea lines of communication in the GoA remain free for navigation; and the international community needs to find effective and lasting solutions to counter piracy, which includes dealing with the problem at source in Somalia where the pirate ships spring from. In the interim, militaries from many countries have combined our efforts against piracy.

Since 2009, the RSN has deployed over 1200 men and women to the GoA under the ambit of the multinational counter-piracy Combined Task Force (CTF) 151. From 2009 to 2011, we deployed a LST with two Super Puma helicopters and a RSAF Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft for maritime surveillance operations in 2011. In 2012, RSS INTREPID with a naval helicopter was our first frigate to be deployed to the GOA. This year also marks our third successful command of CTF 151, and if you look at what we have done and what we have accomplished at each deployment, the SAF has proven itself to be a highly capable and professional force as well as a valued partner in combating piracy.

Indeed, our contributions in the GoA have been recognised by CTF 151 and our coalition partners. Commander Combined Maritime Forces, Vice Admiral John W. Miller, said that the SAF Command Team's motto - "Not on my Watch" - reflected the team's absolute commitment to mission success.I am also glad to hear that our coalition partners have adopted some of the best practices that the SAF has introduced during our deployments to the GoA. Because we have been so effective, the SAF has been asked to assume leadership roles in the multinational effort against piracy there. Since 2010, the SAF has led three successful command tours of CTF 151. This year, the SAF was invited to fill the post of Deputy Director of Operations in the 29-nation Combined Maritime Forces Headquarters, which oversees CTF 151, and we have accepted.

Today's ceremony is to recognise the achievements and contributions of 47 servicemen and women of the SAF Command Team that successfully completed their deployment in June this year. The team was led by COL Giam Hock Koon. The SAF Command Team commanded CTF 151 from March to June. They took charge of a total of 11 ships from six different navies, and worked with other multinational naval forces and independently-deployed navies to deter pirate attacks in the GoA. Just one measure of effectiveness, there were no pirate attacks in CTF 151's area of operations while we were there, not on our watch, compared to a high of about 250 in 2011 just two years ago.

These mission successes bear testament to the high standards of professionalism in the SAF, that we are able to adapt to changing circumstances and work as a team. We also have NSmen who volunteered to be part of this mission. MAJ(NS) Ng Hwee Khoon, who will be turning 50 this October and is on the ROVER scheme, served as a Future Plans Officer during this deployment.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the families and loved ones for your unwavering support and encouragement. Your strong support to our servicemen and women in uniform has allowed them to focus on the mission at hand.

Let me once again congratulate all members of the SAF OBS Command Team for successfully completing the mission. You have flown our flag high and done us proud through your contributions to counter piracy.