Lua, former Singapore Shipping Association head, dies

Lua, former Singapore Shipping Association head, dies

Eng

   Lua Cheng Eng, former long-time president of the Singapore Shipping Association died on Tuesday.
   Lua, while chairman of NOL Ltd., was the association's first president since its formation on Jan. 18, 1985, and held the position for 18 years before retiring in 2003.
   During his tenure as the shipping association's president, Lua served in various national and international organizations, notably as president of BIMCO in 1993, chairman of the Federation of ASEAN Shipowners' Associations (FASA) for 1994-1995, and on the board of the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore. He was also one of the founding members of the Asian Shipowners' Forum, which was created in 1992.
   At the first Singapore association meeting in 1985, he initiated a study to promote regional coastal shipping. In 1987, he again commissioned a Lloyd's study to promote Singapore as an international center for ship owning and ship management services. The recommendations from both reports were presented to Singapore's Ministry for Trade and Industry at that time for consideration and implementation.
      In 1996, Lua sought to restructure the association by moving it away from an interest-based organization to one oriented toward overall shipping issues. A new constitution with a new structure and vision statement for the association was developed.
      'He had envisioned Singapore to be developed into a maritime center like London,' said S.S. Teo, shipping association president, in a statement. Much of what we are today owes much to his leadership.'