keppel group newsletter keppeliteproject runway 43 season of good tidings keppel group newsletter...
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Keppelite I November 2007
Gaining strength,
growing depth 4
Going four-ward
for Rowan 13
Project runway 43
Season of good tidingsSeason of good tidings
Keppel Group Newsletter
NOVEMBER 2007www.kepcorp.com/ekeppeliteeppel
Keppelite
MICA(P) NO. 047/11/2007
Keppelite I November 2007
Published for people in the Keppel Group by the Group Corporate Communications Division, Keppel Corporation Limited, 1 HarbourFront Ave, #18-01 Keppel Bay Tower,Singapore 098632. Printed by Image Printers Pte Ltd, Blk 1002, Redhill Industrial Estate, Jalan Bukit Merah, #03-12, Singapore 159456.
Editorial AdvisorWang Look Fung
EditorMak Chui Ling
Editorial CommitteeAndrea Lee, Andrew Ong, Ang Lai Lee, Clara Ko, Diana Chan, Fatima Lay, Gayathri Prakash Nair, Grace Chia, Ivana Chua, Lai Siang Chin, Lee Yin Chiin, Low Hooi Hoon, Mohd Nor Nordin,Nicole Ma, Nicole Tan, Pamela Almeda, Phang Weng Onn, Quek Mong Song, Roy Tan, Sarah Seah, Serena Toh, Tan Geok Hong, Teo Chang Ching, Teri Liew, Woon Pek Yong
Contents
CO REG NO: 196800351N
eppel
BUSINESSGaining strength, growing depth 4
On course for earnings milestone 6
Setting new benchmarks 9
Sound controls in place 11
Going four-ward for Rowan 12
Keppel co-leads development of Eco-City 13
Sealing the deal 14
Top honours 15
Driving green
Growing presence in Vietnam 16
Defender of distinction 18
New Keppel homes in Shanghai 20
Buoyant with orders 21
Humming to success 22
Seafarer born 23
Special FocusSeason of good tidings 24
Ties that bind 26
Equipped for greater challenges
Winning practices 27
Dino-mite ideas
Benchmarking luxury in Bangkok 28
Keppel supports ASEAN enterprises 29
Samba steps in succession 30
Strengthening business ties 31
Safe guards 32
Green sanctuaries
Clear vision of clean water 33
Local yards, global exchange
TEAMUniquely Singapore in Durban 34
Security bytes 36
IT connects
Executing excellence 37
Views from the top
PEOPLETough man, bold vision 38
In-line with Keppelâs Can-Do! Spirit 40
Enter the dragon
At the helm 41
Keppelites AbroadWaste matters 42
COMMUNITYGreen InitiativesProject runway 43
Charity across communities 44
The future of giving 46
Reality classrooms
Keppel VolunteersBridging community ties 47
BACK PAGEKeppel-led consortium clinches US$1.2b 48
Petrobras contract
40
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Keppelite I November 2007
Editorial
Keppelite I November 2007
Delivering a globalKeppel brand
Our overseas shipyards have come to their ownin their respective markets. This can be seen fromthe two highly significant contracts secured in quicksuccession â in Brazil and the United States â inthe month of October.
For the seven-year-old Keppel FELS Brasil to bepicked by Petrobras SA for exclusive negotiationand then given a US$1.2 billion contract to buildone of the worldâs largest floating production unitsshows that it has won the confidence of theBrazilian national oil company.
Over in the US, the reputation of Keppel AmFELSpainstakingly nurtured since 1992, was the reasonwhy first-time customer Rowan awarded thecompany a package of four jackup rigs worth atotal of US$780 million.
The same can be said of our overseas propertycompanies in China and Vietnam, as well as ourinfrastructure division in the Middle East andEurope.
Their faith in our companies is founded on thefact that Keppel delivers, whether in Singapore orabroad. Be it in providing a home or in offeringcleaner water, customers have come to expect thatwhichever Keppel company they come to,anywhere in the world, that Keppel company willbear the Keppel brand equity of quality productsand services delivered on time, within budget andwithout incidents.
It is an indication that our strategy of replicatingSingaporeâs excellent project execution andefficient management system in our overseas
companies is succeeding. Training employees,enforcing discipline and improving safety, as wellas the implementation of systematic frameworkfor planning, risk management and production areall foundation for stability, growth and expansion.
We have been able to achieve these not througha rigid transfer of our Singaporean system to ouroverseas operations. We recognise that eachcountry has its own historical legacy impacting thenationâs social, political and economic climate. Ourappreciation of the local historical and culturalpractices has enabled us to tweak and modify ourSingapore system to suit different environments.It has not been easy, but we will continue to learnand grow. We have been able to garner localsupport and commitment. Today, we have around40 nationalities working on projects amountingto an annual revenue of around S$8 billion.
Yet, no matter how different the culture andpractices are in each of the 30 over countries weoperate, we firmly believe that certain core valuesmust be common to all Keppel companies.
These values of teamwork, accountability, integrityand innovation drive results. Together with our CanDo! spirit and our commitment to serve thecustomer, these core values have enhanced ourability to create new value for our shareholdersyear after year.
4 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
4 Business
Gaining strength, growing depthKeppel Corporation registered a sterling set of results for 3Q 2007, as the Groupcontinues to capitalise on growth opportunities in key markets globally.Keppelite reproduces Executive Chairman Mr Lim Chee Onnâs speech at theGroupâs results webcast on 25 October 2007.
FINANCIALPERFORMANCEI am pleased to report yetanother excellent set ofresults. PATMI for 3Q 2007was $248 million, an increaseof 23% from 3Q 2006. Forthe first nine months thisyear, PATMI grew 34%year-on-year to $758 million.
We are on course to reachanother milestone in theGroupâs earnings history thisyear. All key business units,Offshore & Marine, Property,Infrastructure and SingaporePetroleum Company (SPC),contributed to this strongperformance. I believe this isa reflection of the growingstrength and depth of eachof our core businesses.
DIVERSIFYING EARNINGSBASE â SEVERALMILESTONES ACHIEVEDBroadening the earningsbase of our key businessesremains our corporateobjective. This is clearlydemonstrated in the variousprojects and initiatives wehave announced during thethird quarter.
In Infrastructure, we aredelighted to have beenawarded another landmarkproject valued at $1.5 billionin Qatar. Keppel Integrated
Engineering will design,build and operate (DBO)the largest wastewatertreatment and water re-usefacility in the Middle East.This builds upon itssuccessful breakthrough ayear ago when it clinched a$1.7 billion DBO contract forQatarâs first integrated solidwaste management facility.These wins will serve as alaunchpad for us to tap otherpromising prospects in theMiddle East and Europe.
Likewise, our PropertyDivision has capitalised onour early initiatives to expandits presence in regionalgrowth markets. In Vietnamalone, Keppel Land added40 million sf of gross floorarea (GFA) year-to-date,increasing its total projectGFA in the country by morethan five-fold to 49 millionsf. In the Middle East, itrecently gained a footholdwith a luxury waterfrontproject in Jeddah.
In China, Keppel Landâstownship launches inChengdu and Wuxi during3Q 2007 achieved over 90%sales. The new townshipp ro j e c t i n S h e n y a n gannounced recently willraise Keppel Landâs projectsunder planning, design, or
Ocean Financial Centre, a redevelopment of Ocean Building, will be a highly sought afterbusiness address with its commanding location and state-of-the-art features
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Keppelite I November 2007
construction in China toproduce over 100 million sfGFA (including projects withonly Memorandums ofUnderstanding signed).I believe Keppel Land hasdeveloped competitiveplatforms by redefiningtraditional markets withits urban housing andintegrated townships andluxury lifestyle homes.
In Oil & Gas, SingaporePetroleum Company (SPC)achieved two significantmilestones to expand itsupstream earnings. One is itsfirst foray into the upstreammarket in China through aproduction sharing contract
with CNOOC in the PearlRiver Mouth Basin acreage.The other is a US$223 millionacquisition of producingoilfields and explorationblocks in Bohai.
In Offshore & Marine, weare continuously enhancingcompetencies positioningus to tap the growing marketsfor deepwater and productionsolutions. Keppel Offshore& Marineâs (Keppel O&M)comprehensive solutionsrange from semisubmersibles(semi), semi drilling tenders,FPSO and FSO conversions, toSPARS, tension leg platforms,as well as drillship equipmentinstallations.
Combined with its globalnetwork of 20 shipyards,these efforts translateinto superior competitiveadvantages enabling KeppelO&M to continue capitalisingon growth opportunities inkey markets. As announcedthe new projects securedthis year to date amount to$4.4 billion.
MAKING GREEN OURBUSINESSAs we strive to deliver longterm value to all ourstakeholders, we remaincommitted to the preservationand enhancement of theenvironment. Keppel LandâsTresor condominium in
Singapore was accorded theGreen Mark Gold Award in2006. Marina Bay Residences,another of Keppel Landâsp remium re s iden t i a ldevelopment, also clinched aGreen Mark Gold Award in2007.
Ocean Financial Centre,Keppel Landâs latest primeoffice building, will showcasestate-of-the-art green andenvironmentally-friendlyfeatures. All our strategicbusiness units shall continuewith their efforts to respector enhance the environment.keppelite
With the successful completion of P-52 for Petrobras comes another reason to celebrate, as Keppel-led consortium clinches the US$1.2 billion contract to build P-56
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Keppelite I November 2007
FINANCIALACHIEVEMENTS ANDHIGHLIGHTSOur PATMI of $758 millionfor the first nine months of2007 has already exceededtotal FY 2006 profit of$751 million. With therecord profits, our EPS, ROEand EVA also exceeded therecords set in FY 2006.We expect to set higherbenchmarks for total FY2007.
Earnings for the nine monthsof $758 million were$191 million or 34% above9M 2006. Earnings per shareof 48 cents kept pace withearnings growth.
Annualised ROE improvedfurther to 21.1%, comparedto 19.1% in 2006. EVAbroke the half billion mark to$587 million, a delta of$275 million measuredagainst 9M 2006 and$164 million above total FY2006.
Free cashflow exceeded$1 billion to $1.3 billionbringing gearing down to 8%.
Revenue of $7.1 billion was37% higher. Operating profitimproved by 35% whilstgrowth in profit before taxwas slightly lower at 31%
On course for earnings milestoneSteady earnings growth in the first nine months puts Keppel Corporationon track for another record year. Keppelite reproduces Group Finance DirectorMr Teo Soon Hoeâs speech during the results webcast briefing.
because of lower growthfrom associated companies.
SEGMENTALPERFORMANCERevenue grew in all keybusinesses with Offshore &Marine continuing to deliveron its strong orderbook.Revenue from Property grewby 78% and Infrastructureposted a 51% growth.
PATMI from Offshore &Marine increased by 45% to$409 million and continuedto contribute more than50% of Group profits. Profit
from Property more thandoubled to $159 million withthe robust sales and prices ofSingapore and regionalresidential projects.
C o n t r i b u t i o n f r o mInfrastructure is lower thanexpectation due to highercost incurred in completingEPC projects secured someyears ago and higherIndonesian gas cost tooperate the cogen plant.
Gas cost will be loweredafter we gain access to ourcontracted Malaysian gas
supplies. However, thedivision still managed to postits fourth straight quarter ofprofitability with a modest$18 million profit for the 9M2007 benefiting from newrevenue streams of thecogen plant and NEWaterplant.
CONTINUED EARNINGS,EVA AND ROEIMPROVEMENTEarnings and EPS growthcontinue. After nine monthsthis year, we are alreadyahead of total year 2006.
Surpassing last yearâs earnings and EPS levels, Keppel Group stays the course for continued earnings growth
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Keppelite I November 2007
EVA shows the same trend,88% above 9M 2006 and39% above total year 2006.ROE continues to improveyear on year.
Annualised ROE of 21.1%for 9M 2007 is more thandouble that at the beginningof this decade.
HEALTHY FREECASHFLOWCashflows from operation,divestment and dividend of$2 billion was more thansufficient to fund newinvestment and capex of$0.7 billion. The resultantfree cashflow of $1.3 billionis more than 2.5 times thedividend paid.
BUSINESS REVIEW &OUTLOOK
Offshore & MarineAbout $1 billion in neworders has been added to ourbooks in the third quarter,bringing total orders securedto $4.4 billion for the firstnine months this year. Withrecord oil prices and tightmarket conditions, we areoptimistic on orderflowprospects and expect tosecure more contracts.
The continued influx of neworders has sustained ourcurrent net orderbook at anear-record $11.1 billion.
Backed by our healthyorderbook, revenue andearnings visibility remainsclear well into 2010. To
date, deliveries slated for2010 include three highvalue jackups and threesemisubmersibles.
Driven by E&P spendingunder favourable industryconditions, our offshore andmarine business continues toperform well. As E&P activitymoves into deeper waters,we are well-positioned tocapture further opportunitieswith our extensivedeepwater and productioncapabilities.
Oil & GasDownstream ref in ingmargins remain volatile asoil prices hit new highs.
M e a n w h i l e , S P C h a sbroadened its presence inkey regional markets withthe addition of producingfields and explorationinterests in China. Withupstream contributionprojected to increase overtime, SPC is poised to growbeyond its largely refiningrole into a regionalintegrated oil player.
PropertySingapore office marketremains tight with risingrentals and near full-occupancy for prime CBDspace. Our Property Divisionis a key beneficiary of thehealthy market conditions,entrenching our leadingposition with a premiumoffice portfolio in RafflesPlace and the NewDowntown.
The Keppel Group continues to diversify its earnings base in the different key businesses
Continues on page 7...PV Drilling I, a KFELS B class design, was delivered two months ahead of schedule and withinbudget
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Keppelite I November 2007
Our regional housinginitiatives are making goodprogress, driven by strongeconomic growth andurbanisation trends in theemerging markets.
We have strengthened ourpresence in Vietnam andChina with new projectsin Ho Chi Minh City andShenyang. The robustresidential pipeline willaugment our earningsstream in the ensuing yearsas projects are progressivelylaunched.
Our expansion into thebooming Middle East marketestablishes a new regional
...continued from page 7.
The Keppel Seghers Ulu Pandan NEWater Plant realises part of the Keppel Groupâs vision to grow the Infrastruction Division
growth platform to tapdevelopment potential. Todate, we have secured awaterfront development inSaudi Arabia and enteredinto two Heads ofAgreements for residentialprojects in the UAE.
Our property fee-basedbusiness is growing fromstrength to strength. Privatefundsâ AUM has risen to$4 billion on a fully leveragedand invested basis. K-REITAsia has fortified its assetportfolio with the One RafflesQuay stake acquisition.
We will continue to capitaliseon opportunities to unlock
value through active assetmanagement initiatives.
InfrastructureInfrastructureâs recentsuccesses have bolstered itstrack record, enhancingearnings contributions andfuture prospects.
The landmark $1.5 billionQatar wastewater win on topof last yearâs $1.7 billion solidwaste management project,marks yet another majormilestone in the evolution ofour environmental business.
We remain focused oncreating innovative solutionsto address global water
scarcity and environmentalconcerns in our effortsto promote sustainabledevelopment as an integralpart of our business.
GROUP OUTLOOKThe Group has set in placestrong strategic platformsacross our diversifiedbusinesses to propel broad-based earnings growth. Weare confident that ourendeavours will yield positiveresults as we steadilyenhance our track recordwith timely execution of ourprojects. keppelite
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel CorporationâsGroup attributable profit of$758 million and earningsper share of 47.9 cents forthe year-to-date were higherthan the $751 million and47.7 cents respectivelyrecorded for full financialyear 2006.
Annualised return on equity(ROE) of 21.1% was thehighest achieved by theGroup. Economic ValueAdded (EVA) of $587 millionexceeded the half billionmark for the first time andwas $164 million above totalyear 2006.
HIGHER GROUPREVENUEGroup revenue in the thirdquarter of $2,591 million
Setting new benchmarks
was 32% above that of thecorresponding quarter in2006. Higher revenues werereported by all divisions.Group attributable profit of$248 million was 23%higher than the same quarterin the previous year.
Profit from Offshore &M a r i n e D i v i s i o n o f$126 million grew by 17%
and profit from PropertyDivision more than doubledto $65 million. InfrastructureDivision reported thefourth straight quarter ofprofitability with a modest$4 million profit for thethird quarter. Profit fromInvestments was lowerbecause the previous yearbenefited from gains on saleof investments.
For the nine months to-date, Group revenue of$ 7 , 0 7 3 m i l l i o n w a s$1,914 million or 37% abovethat of the correspondingperiod in 2006. Revenuefrom Offshore & MarineDivision of $5,048 millionwas 30% higher. The divisioncompleted and delivered sixjackups, six FPSO conversionsand several rig upgrades andrepairs.
Revenue from PropertyDivision of $1,350 millionwas 78% above that of theprevious year. The higherrevenue was due to sales ofReflections at Keppel Bay,Sixth Avenue Residences
and Park Infinia @ Wee Namin Singapore, Villa Rivierain Shanghai and ElitaPromenade in Bangalore.Rental income frominvestment properties alsoincreased due to higherrental rates and occupancy.
Revenue from InfrastructureDivision was 51% higherwith new source of revenuefrom the cogen power plantand NEWater plant whichwere commissioned thisyear and the power bargesin Ecuador, which wascommissioned in Decemberlast year.
INCREASED PROFITSAt the pre-tax profit level,G r o u p e a r n i n g s o f$1,135 million were 31%higher than the first ninemonths of last year. Earningsfrom Offshore & MarineDivision of $548 million were32% above the previousyear. Production activitiescontinue to increase at theshipyards.
9M2007 FINANCIAL RESULTS SUMMARY FOR THE KEPPEL GROUP
Company PATMI* (S$M) %YOY EPS# (CENTS) %YOY
Keppel Corporation 757.7 33.7 47.9 33.1
Keppel Land 207.3 74.1 28.8 73.5
Keppel T&T 34.7 10.4 6.3 10.5
SPC 391.2 72.5 76.0 72.3
* Before exceptional items# Basic EPS
Continues on page 10...Securing four new jackup orders from new customer Rowan to be built at Keppel AmFELS hasbrought our orderbook delivery into the year 2011. Seen here is a vessel currently underconstruction at the Keppel AmFELS Brownsvile, Texas yard
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Keppelite I November 2007
The Property Division postedprofit of $341 million, up86%. Profit has increasedbecause of the higherrevenue recognition forsales of residential properties.This was due to maidencontributions from newprojects launched inSingapore (Sixth AvenueResidences, Marina BayResidences and Reflections atKeppel Bay) and China(Villa Riviera). Higher profitsalso came from the groupâscurrent trading projects.
At the Keppel Land level,group pre-tax profit was$276.6 million was about72% higher than that of9M2006.
Infrastructure Divisioncontributed a modest$31 million to Group pre-taxprofit.
Profit from SPC for the ninemonths was higher withrobust refining margins.However, the Groupâs otherinvestment income werelower as the previous yearbenefited from the sale ofGasco by k1 Ventures andhigher investment gains.
The income tax expenses ofthe Group included a write-back of $18 million fordeferred tax as a result of thereduction in Singaporecorporate tax rate from 20%to 18%. After taking intoaccount minority share ofprofit, the resultant profitattributable to shareholdersof $758 million was$191 million or 34% higher
than the correspondingperiod in 2006.
Offshore & Marine Divisionre m a i n s t h e l a r g e s tcontributor to attributableearnings with 54%, followedby Investments with 23%,Property Division with 21%and Infrastructure Divisionwith 2%.
PROSPECTSThe Groupâs performance forthe nine months has alreadyexceeded that for the wholeyear of 2006. With the strongperformance to-date, theGroup will set new profitabilityand EVA benchmarks for totalyear 2007.
Offshore & Marine Division isexpected to remain as themain contributor to Groupprofit. Its net orderbook issustained above $11 billionwith more orders added fordeliveries into 2010. Thefundamentals of theindustry remain favourable,underpinned by sustainedfirm oil prices and highexploration and productioncapital expenditure. The
division is expected to benefitfrom these strong marketfundamentals.
In the oil and gas industry inwhich SPC operates, globalrefining capacity will remaintight despite some additionalcapacity that may comeonstream in 2008. Demandfor refined products fromthe Middle East, China,India and other Asianeconomies, is expected toremain strong. Refiningmargins are, therefore,expected to remain healthyfor the next 12 months.
Together with Kakap andOyong, the completion ofthe China, Bohai oilfieldsacquisition will contribute toSPCâs total productionestimated at 11,000 barrelsof oil equivalent per day.
The Property Divisioncontinues with its regionalt h r u s t b y f u r t h e rstrengthening its presence inVietnam and China withmore new project sitessecured. The expansion intothe Middle East market
establishes a new regionalplatform for the Groupâsproperty business.
The financial performance ofthe Property Division will beboosted by the revenue andprofit recognition from itspipeline of current andexisting trading propertyprojects both in Singaporeand the region.
The Property Division with itssignificant portfolio of officebuildings in the CentralBusiness District in Singaporeis expected to benefit fromincreasing rental rates andhigher occupancy.
The contracts secured for the$1.5 billion Doha Northwastewater treatment facilityand the Qatar domestic solidwaste management complexhave boosted InfrastructureDivisionâs track record inenvironmental engineering.These contracts togetherwith existing infrastructureprojects are expected toincrease the divisionâscontribution to Groupâsprofitability. keppelite
SPCâs total production is estimated at 11,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day with the Oyong field coming on stream, together withcontributions from the Kakap and Bohai oilfields
...continued from page 9.
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Keppelite I November 2007
ON TREASURY CONTROLSAND MANAGING FOREXVOLATILITYTSH: We do not expect toincur any significant forexgains or losses from ouroperations as a result ofmovement in the US dollaragainst the Singapore dollar.
Although the bulk of ourincome is in US dollars, it isto some extent naturallyhedged. Upon securing anycontracts and accountingfor purchases, we woulddetermine the amount ofexcess US dollars and sellthem forward based onexpected timing of receipts.
All unhedged forexexposures are reported on aperiodic basis to GroupTreasury, which are thencompiled and reported tothe Board on a monthlybasis. All forex activities ofthe business units aretransacted on their behalf byGroup Treasury as well.
Within Group Treasury,the dealing is segregatedfrom the backroom officeand authorisers for alltransactions are fromGroup Control & Accounts.These are internal control
Sound controls in placeAddressing queries from the media and analysts, Keppel Corporationâs seniormanagement shared how the Group has internal control procedures in place tomanage foreign exchange volatility. Keppelite sets out below some of the otherdiscussion topics during the 3Q2007 results webcast.
procedures that we have setto ensure that they areaudited both internally, aswell as externally by ourexternal auditors.
ON OFFSHORE &MARINEâS MARGINSCCB: Margins cannot becompared on a quarterlybasis largely becausedifferent projects areat different stages ofconstruction. Hence, thebooking of profits may varyfrom the booking of revenuein timing-wise. Overall weexpect margins to be in therange of 8% to 10%.
ON INFRASTRUCTUREâSCONTRIBUTIONTSH: In my financial reportpresentation, I mentionedthat the Infrastructurebusiness did not contributeup to expectation. Thereason is contracts securedfour to five years ago beingcompleted now are incurringhigher costs than expected,therefore affecting projectionof profits.
The second reason is thatwhen the 500MW cogenpower plant was completed,we had signed a gasagreement to import gas
from Malaysia. However, thishas not taken place as thegas market has not openedsufficiently to enable us toflow this gas. We have topurchase gas from anothersource at a higher cost andthis impacts negatively onthe profitability of theDivision.
With the prospects ofthe new contracts securedthis year, we are confident
that contribution fromInfrastructure will improve inyears to come. keppelite
TSH â Mr Teo Soon Hoe,
Group Finance Director and
Senior Executive Director of
Keppel Corporation
CCB â Mr Choo Chiau Beng,
Senior Executive Director of
Keppel Corporation,
Chairman & CEO of Keppel
Offshore & Marine, Chairman
of SPC
Addressing concerns on forex volatility, Mr Teo Soon Hoe, Group Finance Director and SeniorExecutive Director of Keppel Corporation, gave a thorough explanation of the Groupâstreasury controls that are in place to mitigate potential forex risks
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel AmFELS, the USwholly-owned subsidiary ofKeppel Offshore & Marine(Keppel O&M), has securedcontracts from RowanCompanies, Inc. (Rowan) tobuild four jackup rigs.
Each rig is valued atUS$195 million, whichincludes owner furnishedequipment.
âThe construction contractswith Keppel AmFELSafforded us the opportunityto accelerate the expansionof our offshore drillingbusiness by partnering witha first class organisation andshipyard,â said Mr Danny
Going four-ward for RowanMcNease, Chairman & CEOof Rowan.
Mr Tong Chong Heong, MD& COO of Keppel O&M andChairman of Keppel AmFELS,said, âRowan is a world classdrilling contractor and a newcustomer to Keppel. We areglad that they recogniseKeppelâs capability andcommitment to meetcustomer requirementson time, within budget andwithout incident.
âWe endeavour to build along term partnership withthem based on integrity,reliability and delivery ofquality products.â
Deliveries of the four rigs areslated progressively betweenthe second quarter of 2010through to 2011.
The rigs will be built to theLeTourneau Super 116Edesign with initial leg lengthsof 410 ft for operating inwater depths of up to 350 ftand drilling depths ofdown to 30,000 ft. Whencompleted, the rigs will becapable of drilling high-pressure, high-temperatureand extended-reach wells.
Keppel AmFELS has justdelivered the second rig toScorpion Offshore (seepage 18) and is constructing
six more jackups â three forScorpion Offshore and oneeach for Atwood Oceanics,Diamond Offshore andPerforadora Central. It is alsobuilding a sludge vessel forthe City of New York.
Keppel AmFELS engages inthe construction,refurbishment, conversion,life extension and repair of acomprehensive range ofmobile rigs and platforms.Located in Brownsville Texas,Keppel AmFELS is one of thebest-equipped offshore yardsin the region. keppelite
With this new order, Keppel AmFELS is constructing ten newbuild jackups and a sludge vessel and is undertaking several repair and refurbishment projects
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Keppelite I November 2007
The Governments of thePeopleâs Republic of China(PRC) and the Republic ofSingapore signed twoa g r e e m e n t s o n t h edevelopment of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City(Eco-City) ( )on 18 November.
The vision is to create athriving city, which is sociallyharmonious, environmentallyfriendly and resource-efficient area â a model forsustainable development.
Keppel co-leads development ofEco-City
Under the FrameworkAgreement signed byPremier Wen Jiabao andP r i m e M i n i s t e r L e eHsien Loong, the PRC andSingapore will collaborateto share their expertiseand experiences in theformulation of policies andprogrammes to engendersocial harmony as wellas in urban planning,environmental protection,resource conservation,re c y c l i n g , e c o l o g i c a linfrastructure development,
for Bilateral Cooperation(JCBC), comprising headsof the relevant ministriesand government agenciesfrom both countries andthe T i an j i n Mun i c i pa lGovernment in the PRC.
Eco-City will be developed bya joint venture companyformed by a SingaporeConsortium, led by KeppelCorporation, and a PRCConsortium which comprisesPRC companies such asthe Tianjin Binhai NewArea Urban InfrastructureConstruction Investment Co.Ltd, Tianjin TEDA InvestmentHoldings Co. Ltd and theChina Development Bank.
The development of theEco-City will demonstratethe determination of thetwo countries in building aharmonious society, tacklingglobal climate changes,strengthening environmentalprotection, and conservingresource and energy.
The Eco-City project wouldbe the most significantc o l l a b o r a t i v e p ro j e c tbetween Singapore and thePRC since the SuzhouIndustrial Park. keppelite
use of renewable resources,reuse of wastewater, andsustainable development inthe development of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City.
The Framework Agreementalso spells out the supervisionmechanism for the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-Citypro ject . Deputy Pr imeMinister Wong Kan Seng andVice-Premier Wu Yi willjointly chair a Singapore-PRCJoint Steering Committee(JSC) under the Joint Council
A strong partnership for a cleaner future: (from left to right) Premier Wen Jiabao and PM Lee Hsien Loong
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Keppel Corporation, throughits wholly owned subsidiary,Keppel Seghers, has signedthe contract for Doha Northfrom Qatar Public WorksAuthority (Ashghal) todesign, build, operate andm a i n t ain a wastewatertreatment and reuse plant inQatar for QR3.6 billion(approximately S$1.5 billion).
Keppel was awarded thecontract earlier in Septemberthis year when its innovativetechnology proposals forboth water and thermaltreatment processes enabled
Sealing the dealit to stand out from thecompetition.
The signing ceremony on29 October was witnessed bythe Heir Apparent of Qatar,His Highness Sheikh TamimBin Khalifa Bin Hamad Al-Thani and Mr Wong KanSeng, Singaporeâs DeputyPrime Minister and HomeAffairs Minister, during theSecond Meeting of theQatar-Singapore High-LevelJoint Committee (HLJC).
The Qatari delegationinclude the Prime Minister
and Minister of ForeignAffairs, Sheikh Hamad BinJassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, andthe Finance Minister andActing Minister of Economyand Commerce, YousefHussein Kamal.
Known as the Doha Northfacility, the wastewatertreatment and water reusefacility is expected to becompleted in 2010, inwhich time, Keppel Seghersâoperation and maintenancecontract with Ashghal wouldbegin for a period of 10years.
LARGEST WASTEWATERAND SLUDGETREATMENT FACILITY INTHE MIDDLE EASTWith peak design capacityto treat wastewater of upto 439,000 cubic metresper day, the Doha Northfacility will be the largestwastewater treatment andreuse facility in Qatar, morethan triple the capacity of thenext largest wastewatertreatment plant. The DohaNorth facility will serve apopulation of over 900,000when completed. Thetreated water will be recycledfor irrigation needs.
The sludge treatment plantin the Doha North facility willbe the only sludge treatmentplant in Qatar. It will receiveand treat sludge fromwastewater treatment plantsall over Qatar. The treatedsludge can be used as anorganic fertiliser or as asupplementary green sourceof energy.
Within the Middle Eastand Mahgreb region, Keppelhas delivered more than30 water treatment projects.It recently secured twowastewater treatment andwater reuse projects inAlgeria. Globally, Keppel hasmore than 400 referencewater treatment projects.keppelite
The signing ceremony was witnessed by (back, from left to right) the Heir Apparent of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Khalifa Bin HamadAl-Thani and Mr Wong Kan Seng, Singaporeâs Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister, while signing the award of the tender was(front, from left to right) Mr Ali Al-Abdullah, Director-General of Urban Planning and Development and Mr Lim Chee Onn, Executive Chairmanof Keppel Corporation
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Keppelite I November 2007
S i n g a p o re P e t ro l e u mCompany (SPC), a memberof the Keppel Group, andSembcorp Gas will jointlyintroduce the first retailcompressed natural gas(CNG) service in early 2008.
The CNG will be supplied andretailed at SPCâs servicestation in Jalan Buroh. Withthis, Singapore motoristswould be able to fill up theirCNG tanks as easily aspumping petrol or diesel ata service station, by early nextyear. This will be the first CNG
Driving greenretail station on mainlandSingapore as currently theonly CNG refuelling station ison Jurong Island.
CEO of National EnvironmentAgency, Mr Lee Yuen Hee,said, âThis is a significantdevelopment, for both ourmotoring industry andmotorists, as CNG becomescommercially availablethrough a retail servicestation for the first time. Ifmore of such CNG retailingstations are set up across theisland, it would help pave the
way for more Singaporeansto opt for CNG vehicles.I congratulate SPC andSembcorp Gas for beingthe first movers and indoing their part for theenvironment.â
SPC Senior VP of Marketing,Mr Chris Keong, said,âBeing an energy company,corporate social responsibilityhas always been fundamentalin SPCâs way of doingbusiness. Weâre especiallyproud to be the first to offerCNG at a service station on
the mainland. We continueto set the pace in the industryto expand and offer a fullrange of services andproducts across SPCâs retailnetwork to meet thechanging needs of motorists.â
Plans are underway to widenthe service across the islandas CNG motoring gainsacceptance. Currently thereare about 350 CNG cars inSingapore, and the numberis expected to grow withincreasing environmentalawareness. keppelite
Keppel Corporat ionâsExecutive Chairman Mr LimChee Onn received theDistinguished Service Orderfrom His Excellency S RNathan, President of theRepublic of Singapore on26 November 2007. UnderMr Limâs leadership since2000, the Keppel Group hasestablished a global footprintin more than 30 countries.
At the ceremony, theNational Day Awards werepresented to about 350recipients by PresidentNathan. keppelite
Top honours
Photo by MICA
16 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel Land has enteredinto two separate jointventures (JV) to build a luxuryvilla development and acondominium developmentin Vietnam. This takes thenumber of projects inVietnam secured by KeppelLand this year to seven.
Both additions to thecompanyâs quality portfolio inVietnam are with localproperty developer, An PhuCorporation (An Phu) andstrategically located inDistrict 9 of Ho Chi Minh City(HCMC), Vietnam.
In the JVs, the villas willbe built on a 13-ha(129,739 sm) site andthe condominiums on anadjacent 6.8-ha (68,442 sm)site. The villa site will yieldabout 200 premier residenceswhile the condominium sitewill yield about 1,940 qualityapartments.
Mr Ang Wee Gee, Director,Regional Investments ofKeppel Land said, âWe arecapitalising on our hallmarkquality and success with VillaRiviera which has shown thatour introduction of anexclusive gated communityhas been very positivelyreceived.â
Keppel Land has fully soldout Villa Riviera, a collectionof luxurious waterfront
Growing presence in Vietnam
Firm grip on success: Mr Ang Wee Gee, Director of Regional Investments, Keppel Land (left)with Mr Vo Thanh Hung, General Director of An Phu Corporation
villas nearing completion inDistrict 2, HCMC.
Mr Ang added, âOur firstmover advantage andestablished network inVietnam have enabled us tobuild up a strong portfolio ofprime properties rapidly. Weare fortunate to have foundlike-minded partners such asAn Phu, who shares ourcommitment to providequality homes in well-planned estates to meetstrong homeownershipaspirations.
âWith the Saigon Hi-TechP a r k â w h e re I n t e l âsUS$1 b i l l i on t e s t andassembly plant is â in closeproximity and slated forcompletion in 2009, ourdevelopments are timely andwell placed to captureboth expatriate and localdemand for quality housingin District 9.
âOur residents can lookforward to living amidst lushsurrounds and yet enjoy closeproximity to downtownHCMC via the proposed ThuThiem Bridge, East-WestHighway and Saigon RiverTunnel, which are all slatedfor completion in the nexttwo years.â
The combined investmentcapital for the two projects,which will be developed in
Our first mover advantage andestablished network in Vietnamhave enabled us to build up astrong portfolio of primeproperties rapidly.Mr Ang Wee GeeDirector, Regional Investments of Keppel Land
phases, is estimated atUS$213 million (approximatelyS$319.5 million). Upon theissuance of the investmentcertificates and obtainingrelevant governmentapprovals, the Keppel Landsubsidiaries will respectivelytake up a 55% stake in the
JV companies while An Phuwill subscribe for theremaining interest.
Keppel Land is also jointlydeveloping with An Phu,waterfront condominiumsfronting the Saigon River inBinh Thanh District, only
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel Land enhances presence in Vietnam with new prime developments in District 9
four kilometres away fromHCMCâs CBD.
T h e s e l a t e s t J V sf o l l o w K e p p e l L a n d âsannouncement in October2007 to develop a 5.1-hawaterfront residential site inDistrict 2, HCMC. The siteis expected to yield apotential gross floor area of244,800 sm which willinclude about 1,500 qualityapartments.
The proposed developmentis close to the 737-ha
Thu Thiem New Township,which has been earmarkedas the new downtownto complement HCMCâsCBD.
The total investment capitalfor the project, which willbe developed in phasesaccording to marketdemand, is estimated atUS$136 million (approximatelyS$208 million).
Construction for all threeprojects is expected tocommence upon obtaining
planning approval, with thesales launch of the first phaseslated for early 2009.Residents can look forwardto a quality lifestyle enhancedby a comprehensive range ofrecreational facilities includinga clubhouse, a swimmingpool and tennis courts in lushsurrounds and under 24-hoursecurity.
In August 2007, Keppel Landwas awarded the investmentlicence for The Estella, aprime residential projectcomprising 1,600 upmarket
apartments in the popularAn Phu Ward, District 2,HCMC, by the HCMCPeopleâs Committee. The softlaunch of The Estella is slatedfor 4Q 2007.
Mr Ang said, âWe willcontinue to be on thelook-out for more primeresidential sites in Vietnam toride on the market upswingand to further capitalise onour strong reputation as achoice developer.â keppelite
18 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel AmFELS, the USwholly-owned subsidiary ofKeppel Offshore & Marine(Keppel O&M), delivered itssecond jackup drilling rig toScorpion Offshore (Scorpion)on time and within budgetagain.
The rig was christenedOffshore Defender byMrs Brenda B. Harvey, wifeof Scorpionâs Director,Mr Michael L. Harvey, atK e p p e l A m F E L S o n10 November 2007. OffshoreDefender is headed for Brazilwhere she will fulfill her
Defender of distinction
Lady Sponsor Mrs Brenda Harvey (third from left) is accompanied by (from left) Mr CY Ho, Director of Keppel AmFELS, Mr GS Tan, President of Keppel AmFELS, Mr Michael Harvey, Director ofScorpion, Mr Jon Cole, President & CEO of Scorpion, Mrs Cole, Mr CH Tong, Chairman of Keppel AmFELS, Mr Donny Rials, Project Manager of Scorpion, Mr Oscar Lopez, Project Manager ofKeppel AmFELS and Mr Gabe Padilla, Vice-President (Engineering) of Scorpion
contractual obligation toPetrobras, the national oilcompany of Brazil.
A newly establisheddrilling company, Scorpioncontracted Keppel AmFELSto build a fleet of fivedrilling rigs. Construction ofthe remaining three isprogressing on track, and therigs are scheduled for deliverythrough 2008 to 2009.
Mr Jon Cole, President &CEO of Scorpion said,âDespite this busy period,the teamwork between
Keppel AmFELS and Scorpionhas resulted in the delivery ofOffshore Defender, one ofthe finest products I haveever seen in the 30 years ofmy career in this industry.â
A key factor of thisachievement is the skilledand well-trained workforceof Keppel AmFELS.
Mr Tong Chong Heong, MD& COO of Keppel O&M said,âAt Keppel, we recognisethat an organisation is onlyas good as its employees. Wehave been able to deliver
high standard products andservices because our peopleare adequately trained andequipped.â
Mr Tong, who is also theChairman of Keppel AmFELS,added, âThat is why wecontinuously developvarious industrial trainingprogrammes and schemes atthe Keppel AmFELS TrainingCentre to enhance the skillsof our employees.â
In 2007, Keppel AmFELSinvested close to US$3 millionfor the training and
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Keppelite I November 2007
development of itsworkforce. Recognisingthe companyâs commitmentin this aspect, the TexasWorkforce Commissionrecently awarded KeppelAmFELS and four othercompanies a total ofUS$733,538 for the creationand upgrading of skill-relatedjobs.
Mr Gilbert Elizondo, VP(Human Resources) ofKeppel AmFELS shared,âAbove and beyond talent
training programmes andscholarships. One such effortis the annual Keppel AmFELSCharity Golf Tournamentwhich raises funds for charity.
Mr GS Tan, President ofKeppel AmFELS, highlighted,âIn 2006, we raisedUS$20,000 for charity. Thisyear, we have quadrupledthe amount and it will gotowards the funding of theUniversity of Texas atBrownsville scholarships.These scholarships are forpromising high schoolgraduates pursuingengineering and sciencedegrees.â
The companyâs commitmentin employee development isa shared mission by itsemployees as well. Literallytaking training out of thecentre, George Baldree, awelding engineer at KeppelAmFELS with a passion for
his job, took it upon himselfto reach out to any schoolthat would consider hisproposal for a high qualitywelding programme.
The programme trainsstudents to become certifiedwelders by the time theygraduate high school. Thiswould provide KeppelAmFELS with a pool of highlyskilled entry-level welders,which are few and farbetween in Brownsville.
Sharing the success of one ofhis presentations, Georgesaid, âI was in front of 25kids from an agriculturalscience class explaining whatwelding is and I told themabout the jobs available andhow much you can make asa welder. At the end, nearlyevery one said they wouldwant to take a class tobecome welders!â keppelite
Offshore Defender is the second rig Keppel AmFELS has delivered to Scorpion on time andwithin budget
development programmes,senior management ofKeppel also plays an activerole in personally nurturingand getting to know theyoung blood of thecompany.â
Keppel AmFELS also workstoward improving theliving standards of theBrownsville community inwhich it operates byproviding training andeducation for the localsthrough its industry-skills
Informal gathering sessions allow senior management and young managers to share opinions.Seen here are (from left) Bernadino Salinas, Project Engineer at Keppel AmFELS, Mr GS Tan,President of Keppel AmFELS, Tom Covellone, Director of Keppel AmFELS, Mr Tong, Chairmanof Keppel AmFELS and Wendy Lee, Mechanical Engineer at Keppel AmFELS
20 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel Land is poised tocapitalise on the urbanexpansion and growing realestate market of Shanghai,with a new large-scaleresidential project in NanhuiDistrict.
The company hasacquired a 100% stake inShanghai Hongda PropertyDevelopment Co. Ltd., whichowns a 26.4-ha (396 mu)residential site in XinchangTown, Nanhui District,southeastern Shanghai.
In recent years, the NanhuiDistrict has receivedsignificant governmentfocus, infrastructuralspending and real estateinvestment, owing to itsstrategic location adjacent toChinaâs largest port facility,the Yangshan Deep WaterPort off Hangzhou Bay.
The Shanghai government isalso planning to develop thesoutheastern tip of theNanhui District into aHarbour City to supportactivities of Yangshan Port, aswell as the trade-relatedindustries and services.
The Harbour City will house800,000 people and severalindustrial parks spanning300 sq km by 2020.
Keppel Land to develop large-scaleresidential project in Shanghai
âShanghai is positioned as aglobal financial hub. Itsproperty market is poised forcontinuing good prospects,âsaid Mr Ang Wee Gee,Director of RegionalInvestments, Keppel Land.
âEarmarked as one of keyhousing zones in Shanghai,the Nanhui District has takenoff rapidly with a surge ofpublic and private real estateinvestments. Our latestproject is well-timed tocapture Nanhuiâs growinghousing demand, which isexpected to be underpinnedby strong owner-occupiersâdemand over the next fewyears,â he said.
Fast becoming a majorlogistics and manufacturinghub in Shanghai, Nanhuiâsdevelopment will be aidedfurther by plans for a MassRapid Transit line to be readyby 2012.
With increasing economicactivities and opportunitiespouring in the NanhuiDistrict, greater numbers ofresidents are expected tomove into the area, whereKeppel Landâs new residentialdevelopment is located.
Targeted at the middle-income segment, Keppel
Land plans to develop thesite in phases over anestimated period of five yearsinto a mixed residentialenclave comprising 3,000homes, spread across terracehouses and low to mid-riseapartment blocks. Thedevelopment will also becomplemented by lifestyleamenities such as aclubhouse and retailcomponents.
Mr Ang said, âKeppel Landhas been present in Shanghaifor more than a decade,during which we haveestablished ourselves as aquality developer with keenmarket knowledge andstrong business networks.
âWe are confident that withour valuable experience andexpertise, Keppel Land iswell-placed to identify andtap new opportunities, andto meet the demand forquality homes in thismarket.â
The Nanhui project isKeppel Landâs fourthresidential development inShanghai and augmentsthe companyâs growingprominence and portfolio ofquality homes across China.
In Jingan, Keppel Land hasfully sold One Park Avenuewhile Eight Park Avenue isunder development. VillaRiviera in Qingpu has alsomet with good take-up. keppelite
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel FELS, a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of Keppel Offshore& Marine (Keppel O&M),has been awarded aUS$206 million contract byreturning customer, FloatelInternational Ltd (Floatel) fora 500-men accommodationsemisubmersible (semi)vessel. It is expected to bedelivered in December 2010.
The new accommodationsemi, the KFELS SSAU 3600,has been designed tooperate in regions outsidethe North Sea. It is thesecond contract from Floatel,following the first which was
Buoyant with ordersa new generation DSS20NSDP3, designed to suit theharsh conditions of the NorthSea, awarded to Keppel FELSin April this year.
âThe worldâs demandf o r s e m i s u b m e r s i b l eaccommodation vessels ispresently stronger than thecurrent dedicated fleet of 19units can satisfy. Floatel ispositioning itself to leveragethis attractive marketopportunity with a new fleetof customised vessels suitedto various operatingconditions,â said Mr ErlandBassoe, Chairman of Floatel.
âKeppel FELS has proven tobe the most reliable andversatile shipyard. I amconfident that they are theright partners to supportFloatel in our fleet expansionprogramme,â he said.
âFloatel has given us theirvote of confidence withthe award of a secondaccommodation rig contractin a span of less than sixmonths. This is a partnershipbuilt on trust, and we will seeto it that Keppel deliversquality solutions on timeand within budget to meetthe needs of our valued
customers,â said Mr TongChong Heong, MD & COOof Keppel O&M.
Designed by Keppel O&MâsDeepwater TechnologyGroup, the six-column unitcarries accommodation for500 persons complete withfull recreational facilities.It is cost effective andcapable of operatingalongside fixed platforms,with a complement of afully redundant DynamicPositioning System, a highcrane capacity and firefighting capabilities.
In 2005, Keppel FELSdelivered Safe Concordia,an accommodation semiof s imi lar des ign andspec i f i cat ions for 400persons.
Floating accommodationplatforms are needed toprovide additional livingquarters for drilling andproduction personnel. Suchsupport is needed duringhook-up and commissioningin the development phase,for maintenance andupgrading during theproduction phase, as wellas for decommissioning.
âAs more E&P activities movefurther offshore and intodeeper waters, we expectd e m a n d f o r f l o a t i n gaccommodation units to beencouraging,â said Mr Tong.keppelite
Built to the similar design of Safe Concordia (left), the second accommodation semi built for returning customer Floatel will home up to 500 men
22 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel Verolme in Rotterdamhas delivered the FloatingProduction Storage andOffloading (FPSO) facility,Sevan Hummingbird, toSevan Productionâs (Sevan)satisfaction again.
This is the second facilityKeppel Verolme hascompleted for Sevan, afterFPSO Sevan Piranema wasdelivered in January 2006. Itis scheduled to be operationallater this year at the Chestnutfield for two and half years.
Humming to successSevan Hummingbird wasnamed by godmother, SusanGrayson, Senior ProductCoordinator of VentureProduction on 23 October2007. Venture Production isthe joint owner of theChestnut field in centralNorth Sea, where the unitwill be operating.
Mr Harold Linssen, MD ofKeppel Verolme, said, âOnbehalf of all the contractorsas well as the managementand employees of Keppel
Verolme who havecontributed so many humsto the safety record andmanhours in the pastmonths, I would like to thankyou for allowing us to bepart on this beautifulproject.
âKeppel Verolme celebratesits 50th anniversary thisyear. Like hummingbirds, wehave had our âforward andbackward flyingâ periods,and we have had plenty ofhumps.
âThrough the years, KeppelVerolme has worked on asteady stream of projectswith much support from ourcustomers, subcontractorsand partners. And now, weare riding the boom andsharing them with our valuedcustomers, like Sevan. Wedo look forward to a nexthumming period withanother Sevan unit.â
The scope of outfitting workincluded the installationof central shaft, processmodules and mechanicalequipment, installation ofpiping systems, electrical andinstrumentation systems,hydraulics and architecturalworks.
Sevan Hummingbird will becapable of an oil processingcapacity of up to 30,000bbls/day and a waterinjection capacity of up to20,000 bbls/day.
Keppel Verolme has alsod e l i v e re d A u d a c i a i nSeptember 2007 and iscurrently building the worldâsfirst concrete heavy lifter forMPU Offshore Lift ASA.
About 100 guests fromthe sh ipya rd , Ven tu reProduction, Wood Group,Sevanâs clients, shareholders,investors, financiers andother parties were present tojoin in the joyous occasion.keppelite
Humming with activity â The Keppel Verolme yard completes outfitting of FPSO Sevan Hummingbird
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel Singmarine addsto its list of on-time,on-budget deliveries, withthe completion of AnchorHandling Tug/Supply (AHTS)vessel, Sea Cheyenne forGulfmark Offshore Inc(Gulfmark).
The vessel was christenedon 27 October 2007 bygodmother Mrs Rex CarrollRoss, wife of Mr Rex Ross,D i r e c t o r o f G u l f m a r kOffshore. Sea Cheyenne isnamed after one of the mostheroic American IndianTribes, which bears thequa l i t i e s o f s t reng th ,resilience, adaptability andagility.
The on-time completionof Sea Cheyenne was amomentous occasion for theproject teams of KeppelSingmarine and Gulfmark.With strong partnership andopen communication, theywere able to overcome allodds to finish the jobpromptly and safely, despitethe late delivery of keyequipment during thevesselâs construction.
For its safe and excellentproject execution, KeppelSingmarine received aUS$10,000 bonus fromGulfmark.
Mr Gene Leech, ExecutiveVP o f Gu l fmark , sa id ,âKeppel Singmarine has
Seafarer born
once again delivered a vesselto us on time and to our fullsatisfaction. We are pleasedto partner Keppel Singmarinein meeting the growingdemand for AHTS tosupport offshore oil and gasactivities.â
Mr Martin Watts, AreaDirector/Manager of GulfMarine Far East, added, âThework that has gone into thisvessel by the shipyarddesigners, employees andour own ship building teamis tremendous and is a creditto all parties concerned.Congratulations to all thestaff at Keppel Singmarinefor producing a first-classvessel on time and withinbudget. This is a vessel weshould all be very proud of.â
Developed by MarineTechnology Development(MTD), the ship design anddevelopment arm of Keppel
Offshore & Marine (KeppelO&M), Sea Cheyenne iscapable of up to 140 tonnesbollard pull, higher than itsoriginal specifications of130 tonnes.
Mr Choo Chiau Beng,Chairman & CEO of KeppelO & M , s a i d , â We w i l lendeavour to provide value-added services, particularly inensuring that Gulfmarkâs five
Sea Cheyenne was officially christened by Mrs Rex Carroll Ross (dressed in black), wife of Mr Rex Ross, Director of Gulfmark Offshore (on herright) as (from left) Mr Martin Watts, Area Director/Manager of Gulf Marine Far East, Mrs Sandra Watts, Mr Gene Leech, Mrs Eileen Choo(second from right) and Mr Choo Chiau Beng look on
other vessels with us arecompleted on time andwithin budget.
âWe will continue to investin R&D to become thesignificant player in thedesign and construction ofoffshore support vessels.â
Sea Cheyenne will bedeployed in Vietnam. Thefive remaining vessels will bedelivered in 2008. keppelite
Sea Cheyenne is the third of eight vessels that Keppel Singmarine has built for Gulfmark since2003
24 Special Focus
Keppelite I November 2007
Singapore Season provided a strong platform for some 300 artists and arts groups who presented the best of Singapore to the Chinese audience
The month-long run ofSingapore Season in China, ofwhich the Keppel Group ispresenting sponsor, hasconcluded with huge success.
The Season which premieredin Beijing and Shanghai from12 October to 12 November,attracted more than 165,000people to its spectrum of 44arts, lifestyle, creative andbusiness programmes. It alsoprovided a strong platformfor some 300 artists and artsgroups to be exposed to theinternational arts scene, andto reach out to the Chineseaudience.
Over and above these, theuniversal language of the artsexpressed through this jointeffort with the Ministry ofInformation, Communicationsand the Arts (MICA) and theNational Arts Council, hasallowed Keppel to sowseeds of goodwill and tonurture meaningful exchangebetween Singapore andChina.
âOur proactive and holisticapproach in seeking avenuesto enhance relationshipswith our hosts in Chinaunderscores our long-termcommitment to participatein and contribute to hereconomic and socialdevelopment,â said Mr LimC h e e O n n , E x e c u t i v eC h a i r m a n o f K e p p e lCorporation.
Season of good tidings
Audiences in Beijing andShanghai were treated toSingaporeâs diverse arts,including music, dance,theatre, literature and visualarts.
Top local art groups andperformers such as theSingapore Chinese Orchestra(SCO), Singapore SymphonyOrchestra (SSO), SingaporeDance Theatre (SDT), DramaBox, the Chinese TheatreCircle, Mark Chan andSingapore pop star JJ Linwere well-received by theChinese audiences. Theaverage house attendancefor the ticketed artsprogrammes during theSeason was 84%, with someperformances attractingalmost full houses.
Singaporeâs multi-ethnicliterary works were alsopresented at the Season bya multi-cultural delegation of11 local writers, in a series ofexhibitions, readings andforums.
âOverall, the impressionof Singapore has beenenhanced. Singapore wasnot just seen as being clean,beautiful and economicallydynamic but also having richcultural heritage, creativityand vibrancy,â Dr LeeBoon Yang, Minister forInformation, Communicationsand the Arts said.
âThe SCO, SSO and SDTperformances achievedaverage 90% attendancewhile the rest were well
received. Clearly, our artsperformances struck a chordwith the audiences in Beijingand Shanghai. This couldprovide a foundation forfuture arts and culturalengagements with theChinese.â
Extending its support for theSeasonâs outreach, Keppelalso sponsored the SDTâsChina tour, which alsoincluded performances inShanghai as well as Tianjin,where the Group is present.
âSDTâs China tour broughtSingaporeâs arts and cultureto our Chinese friends andcolleagues. It also reflectedour global outlook andcommitment to excellence aswe shared the best of
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Keppelite I November 2007
Singapore with the Chineseaudiences,â said Mr Lim.
SDT presented a triple-billd a n c e p r o g r a m m efeaturing three excitingchoreographic works byArgentinean MauricioWainrot (Piazollaâs FourSeasons), French Marie-Claude Petragalla (LesNoces), and SingaporeanJeffrey Tan (Negro Y Blanco)respectively.
T h e i r s i n g l e n i g h tperformance in Tianjin drewa full-house, and was well-attended by governmentofficials including guests ofhonour, Mr Mah Bow Tan,Minister for NationalDevelopment and TianjinMayor Mr Dai Xiang Long.
Keppelâs business units acrossChina also rallied in all threecities where they hostedgovernment off ic ia l s ,business associates and
Stage set for excellence in TianjinKeppel also sponsoredSDTâs China tour inShanghai and Tianjin as anextension of its supportfor the Singapore Season2007.
Audiences were swept bythe forceful eloquence oftinkling ivories as lithebodies assume the form ofnotes and melodies inNegro Y Blanco. Poignantyet dramatic, Les Nocesspoke of the manycontradicting feelingsevoked by The Wedding, aritual that confers union
Australia, France, UK, theUnited States, South Koreaand Malaysia. Invitations toperform in Russia, Spain,South Korea and a returnvisit to Australia, also attestto the companyâs growingreputation in the danceworld.
It was through Keppelâssponsorship at theSingapore Season that SDTmade its first appearancein the cities of Shanghaiand Tianjin.
and yet, imprisonment. Theyalso felt the passion ofcouples in courtship throughthe pulsating rhythms of theTango-inspired Piazollaâs FourSeasons.
With a repertoire spanningclassical, neo-classical,contemporary masterpiecesand unique, stimulatingchoreography from the Asia-Pacific and internationalarena, SDT has found itsstanding as one of Asiaâsleading dance companies.The company has touredwidely to countries including
Keppelâs business units across China hosted guests in all three cities in support of Singaporearts
Renewing ties â Mr Lim Chee Onn, Executive Chairman of Keppel Corporation (extreme right)takes the opportunity to catch up with Chinese counterparts at the gala dinner in Beijing
friends at SDTâs performancesas well as the Seasonâs GalaDinners in Beijing andShanghai.
âThe success of Singapore
Season in China wasundoubtedly the result ofvery generous support andencouragement frompartners from our public,private and people sectors.
We appreciate greatly thefinancial support given byour corporate co-presenters,partners and sponsors,â saidDr Lee. keppelite
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel Corporationâs Executive ChairmanMr Lim Chee Onn (left) and HE Nguyen TanDung, Vietnamâs Prime Minister renewed tiesat a recent private dinner held at The Regent,Singapore, on 19 November 2007.
As one of Vietnamâs pioneer and largest foreigninvestors, the Keppel Group has beenparticipating in and contributing to Vietnamâsgrowth through a win-win relationship whichhas spanned more than 20 years and acrossits key businesses in the offshore & marine,property and infrastructure industries. keppelite
Ties that bind
To meet the growingdemands of the offshore andmarine industry, KeppelOffshore & Marineâs (KeppelO & M ) w h o l l y - o w n e dsubsidiary, Regency SteelJapan (RSJ) has enhanced itsproduction facilities with thecommissioning of criticalsteel fabrication equipment.
They include a 10,000-tonnepress, a heating furnace anda quenching bath, whichtranslate to added capabilitiesfor RSJ.
Mr Choo Chiau Beng,Chairman & CEO of KeppelO&M said, âThis is animportant milestone for RSJ.
The company has been agreat success from the verybeginning with its costeffective facilities andexperienced workforce. Withthe addition of the newequipment, it is a greatmorale booster for ourpeople in RSJ.â
With the additionalresources, RSJ will be ableto perform the entiremanufacturing process forcritical components of ajackup rig.
Dr Yip Hee Yan, GM of RSJsaid, âWith the newcapabilities to completelymanufacture our products
Equipped for greater challengesunder one roof, RSJâs nextgoal is to increase productionefficiency, cost effectivenessand projects revenue.â
The company is amanufacturer of large, high-
quality steel structures forinternational and domesticmarkets. These structures areused in the construction ofhigh-strength structures, newsteelmaking facilities andnuclear power plants. keppelite
Impressing the crowd with its pressing capability at the commissioning ceremony was the new10,000 tonne press in the background as it shaped and formed steel structures from heatedsteel plates
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Keppel CorporationâsExecutive Chairman Mr LimChee Onn has beenhonoured with the âBestInvestor Relations by a CEOâaward by IR Magazine.
This recognition wasconferred during the SouthEast Asia Conference &Awards 2007, an annualevent organised by theinternational publication incollaboration with theSingapore Exchange andthe Investor RelationsProfessionals Association(Singapore).
Keppel Corporation alsoreceived commendation bythe investment communitywith the âGrand Prix for BestOverall Investor Relationsâaward and honourablemention for the âBestCorporate Governanceâ andâBest Investor RelationsWebsiteâ categories.
Winning practices
Targeted at the investorrelations community, thehalf-day conference andlunchtime awards ceremonyheld on 16 Novemberhighlighted and honouredthe best of investor relationspractices in Singapore,Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailandand the Philippines.
The results were based onsurveys and in-depth one-on-one interviews conductedwith portfolio managers andanalysts covering the regionin which they nominatedcompanies with bestpractices in investor relations.
Receiving the awards onbehalf of Keppel Corporationwas Ms Wang Look Fung,GM of Keppel GroupCorporate Communicationsand Keppel Group ControllerMr Paul Tan. keppelite
GM of Keppel Group Corporate Communications Ms Wang Look Fung received the âBestInvestor Relations by a CEOâ award on behalf of Keppel Corporationâs Executive ChairmanMr Lim Chee Onn
Into its fourth consecutiveyear, the Innovation & QualityCircles (iQC) movement inKeppel FELS has savedprecious dollars for thecompany.
The projects undertaken bythe various iQC teams inthe past year have helpedthe company to achieve aprojected cost savings of$4.5 million per year.
Mr Michael Chia, ED ofKeppel FELS, said during theAward Presentation andInnovation Month 2007âsclosing ceremony, âTheiQC movement continuesto serve as a goodplatform for employees tocontribute innovative ideasthat help the company makeimprovements to the workenvironment, processesand products.â
The âMillion Dollar Project
Dino-mite ideasAwardâ was presented totwo iQC teams thatsuccessfully achieved aminimum of one milliondollars cost savings for thecompany.
Team SAF (Production Hull)improved block assemblyguides used in floatingconditions by standardisingthe types of guides, resultingin time savings.
The other winning teamSecure 1 increased workersâv i g i l a n c e o v e r t h e i requipment by implementing,a c r i m e a w a r e n e s sprogramme.
The âMost InnovativePresentation Awardâ wasgiven to team Elite (HR)which delivered a projectcreatively by using Barneythe Dinosaur, a cartooncharacter, to enact a drama.keppelite
Barney the Dinosaur comes to life in team Eliteâs award-winning presentation
28 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
Benchmarking luxury in Bangkok
residential developments whichare designed to be havens in themidst of the bustling city.
Designed by well-known RMJMArchitects, the modern-tropicalvillas come complete with fullamenities such as swimmingpools, a clubhouse and a fitnesscentre, set amidst lushlandscaping and water features.
The development is about fourkm southeast of the Don MuangInternational Airport, and about30 minutes drive from theCentral Business District.
KTPâs first development,Villa Arcadia at Srinakarin, is a367-unit detached housingdeve lopment locatedsoutheast of downtownBangkok. keppelite
Villa Arcadia is set to redefinebenchmarks for quality homes inBangkok. Keppelâs qualityhallmark and innovative designsdistinguish our residentialdevelopments, allowing KTPto build up repute as adeveloper of choice.Mr Wong Yew SiongED of KTP
Haven in the city: Villa Arcadia at Watcharpol is Keppel Landâs second luxury development under the Arcadia brand name in Bangkok
Keppel Thai Properties (KTP)has soft-launched theirsecond villa development inBangkok, Villa Arcadia atWatcharapol recently.
Located on a prime 12.5-ha(78 rai) site at theWatcharapol district, thedevelopment will comprise atotal of 270 double-storeydetached homes of threeto five-bedroom sizeconfigurations. Forty villas willbe launched in the first phaseand are priced between 5.5and 13 million baht.
âVilla Arcadia is set toredefine benchmarks forquality homes in Bangkok.Keppelâs quality hallmarkand innovative designsdistinguish our residentialdevelopments, allowing KTPto build up repute as adeveloper of choice.
âDiscerning homebuyers willappreciate that Villa Arcadiaoffers prestigious homes in aconvenient location.
âThrough our Arcadia brandof homes, we will bring tobear Keppelâs track record ofcreating quality livingenvironments for exclusivelifestyles,â said Mr WongYew Siong, ED of KTP.
Arcadia, with the brandpromise of tranquillity andserenity, is apt for KTPâs
Business 29
Keppelite I November 2007
A homegrown multinationalc o n g l o m e r a t e b a s e di n S i n g a p o re , K e p p e lCorporation identifies withthe aspirations of companiesin South East Asia.
Keppel has supported thesecompaniesâ goals to growinto reputable internationalentities through thesponsorship of the inauguralAssociation of South EastAsian Nations (ASEAN)Business Awards held atthe ASEAN Business andInvestment Summit.
Keppel supports ASEAN enterprisesAs co-presenter of thebusiness award presentationceremony, Keppel wasrepresented by LeadIndependent Director MrTony Chew. The gala dinnerwas graced by SingaporeSenior Minister Goh ChokTong.
The awards whichrecognised companies fortheir growth, employment,innovation and corporatesoc i a l re spons i b i l i t i e sattracted a total nominationof 63 companies from acrossASEAN.
The objective of the awardswas to promote and fosterthe growth of enterprisesand entrepreneurship withinASEAN which comprises 10countries including Brunei,Indonesia, Lao PDR,Malaysia, Myanmar, thePhilippines, Singapore,Thailand and Vietnam.
The 2007 ASEAN Businessand Investment Summit,the fifth such event since2003, was organised by theASEAN Business AdvisoryCouncil and co-organised bythe Singapore Business
Federation, which alsohosted the event.
The ASEAN Business andInvestment Summit tookplace in Singapore between16 and 18 November 2007.It was attended by over 900government officials andleading business executivesfrom the ASEAN membercountries, as well asrepresentatives from othercountries.
Singapore Prime Minister LeeHsien Loong opened theceremony and delivered thekeynote address. Minster LimHng Kiang of SingaporeTrade and Industry Ministrywas also present. Keppelwas represented byMr Choo Chiau Beng, SeniorExecutive Director of KeppelCorporation at the Summit.
The business summit wasentitled âOne ASEAN at theHeart of Dynamic Asiaâ, inline with the ASEAN LeadersâSummit which was heldimmediately after the 3-dayevent. One of the keyachievements of the LeadersâSummit was the creation ofthe ASEAN Charter whichaims create a commonmarket in the region by2015.
ASEAN was formed in 1967to promote economic, socialand cultural development ofthe region. keppelite
(Centre) Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister of Trade & Industry shared the importance of ASEAN entrepreneurship and enterprises at the ASEANBusiness Awards
30 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
âIf you leave a place and itfails because youâre notaround, youâve failed.â This isthe guiding principle behindmuch of what Keppel FELSBrasil (BrasFELS) deputy chiefexecutive Daniel Chang isdoing during his tenure atKeppel FELSâ Brazilian unit.
In fact, he even goes so faras to tell his staff to worktowards making themselvesredundant because thatwould mean they will thenbe free to be promoted ormove on to otherresponsibilities. Putting inplace at least three lines ofmanagers who can replaceeach other is one of the goalshe would like to achieve, hetold The Business Timesduring a recent visit to themain yard in Angra, somethree hoursâ drive from Riode Janeiro. This in turn is verymuch in line with the KeppelGroupâs corporate policy, headded.
When he first came to Brazilto take on his currentposition just over a year ago,there was a feeling thatcertain key positions likethat of the shipyardmanager should remain inSingaporean hands, he said.But Mr Chang was quick torealise that this could not go
Samba steps in successionWhile in Brazil for the Clipper Race 07-08, journalist Vincent Wee met up withKeppel FELS Brasilâs Mr Daniel Chang, current President & CEO. An excerpt of hisarticle is reproduced here by courtesy of SPH â The Business Times.
on for the long haul andthere was an urgent need fora succession planningprogramme to transfer moreresponsibility to local staff.
While Mr Chang knows thatit will be a long way alongthe path to making theKeppel way work in Brazil, heis also heartened by the factthat the Brazilians are opento new ideas from Singaporeand are willing to learn. Forexample, he proudly quoteshis local staff telling him that:âThere may be Brazilianculture but once you stepinside the yard, you take onBrasFELS culture.â
One major problem,however, is the yardâslocation in Angra, which isnot within a majorpopulation centre like Rio deJaneiro. The pool of labourtherefore is limited becausemost Brazilians do not like tolive and work away from thearea they were born andbrought up in because theylike to be close to theirfamilies.
This, however, works bothways because it means thatwhile the labour supply islimited, it is also captive. The9,000 or so workers that theyard took in at the peak of
the production cycle for thetwo big FPUs practicallyemployed the entireworkforce of the Angra area.
The challenge is to developthis workforce so that it isable to develop with theorganisation and its growthplans. âIf we can generatea labour pool within the areaI think it will be self-sustaining,â says Mr Chang.
In line with this he is tryingto formulate a five to ten-year plan and thinking howto groom not only theworkers but their children aswell. This could be donethrough scholarship schemesfor the kids to go for furtherstudies as well as perhaps tosponsor the workers forcourses that will help themdevelop their skills and boosttheir careers.
So while problems like strikes
and restrictive labour lawscontinue to be constraints onKeppel FELSâ operations inBrazil, the potential forgrowth is also there. Oft-quoted figures like the factthat, with the coming intooperation of the P-52 FPU,BrasFELSâ projects forBrazilian national oilcompany Petrobras wouldhave accounted for over 50per cent of the countryâs oilproduction capacity, palebeside the simple truth of itsgood relationship with thecountry and its people andhow this puts them in a goodposition for the future.
Keppel keeps to its word, isfair and offers opportunities.This is what makes frontingthe companyâs operations inBrazil âinteresting andchallengingâ for Mr Chang.It also makes him extremelyproud and happy to be there.keppelite
Mr Daniel Chang gives BT journalist Vincent Wee (next to him) and Keppel Ambassador HizamHaiyon (second from right) an overview of Keppel FELS Brasilâs operations in Rio de Janeiro
Business 31
Keppelite I November 2007
Valuing its partners inexcellence, Keppel FELSrecently hosted a dialoguesession to strengthen itslongstanding businessrelationships with itssubcontractors.
The event garneredtremendous support as 250subcontractors representing30 companies eagerly cameforward to meet and interactwith management andproject managers fromKeppel FELS.
The session was chaired byMr Tong Chong Heong, MD& COO of Keppel Offshore& Marine (Keppel O&M),who shared, âWe need youas much as you need us. Yourservices are treasured. Asuccessful company has towork well, be fair, andconnect effectively with itssubcontractors.
âWe will never be too busyto listen to your problems.Whenever you encounter aproblem, come to us andtogether we will find asolution.â
The subcontractors alsoexpressed their appreciationf o r t h e t i m e - t e s t e drelationships they have builtwith Keppel FELS.
Mr Ng Joo Keong, GM ofSin Hong Thai EngineeringPte Ltd, said, âSince ourinception, we have grown
Strengthening business tieswith Keppel FELS as acontracting company andwill continue to do so.â
There was also a lively andfrank exchange of ideasduring the session.
Mr Low Eng Cheong of CrestIndustries Pte Ltd suggestedforming a committee ofsubcontractors to give thecommunity a sense ofownership in the yards andempowering them to speakup on ways to improvefacilities, quality and safetymatters. This idea was well-received by Keppel FELSmanagement who agreed
and encouraged theformation of the committee.
Mr Choong Yik Lin of TaChing Marine TechnologyPte Ltd spoke of theexemplary manner inwhich subcontractors weretreated in Keppel FELS, whocontinue to feel engagedand appreciate having asense of belonging to theyard.
âBest in HSEâ, â10-yearPartnersh ipâ, â20-yearPartnershipâ and â30-year Partnershipâ awardswere presented that day torecognise the subcontractorsâ
achievements in HSEexcellence and the longrelationships cultivated overthe years. This is the first timethese awards have beenpresented.
Other panellists includedMr Michael Chia, ED ofKeppel FELS, Mr Wong KokSeng, ED (Operations) ofKeppel FELS and Chairmanof the SubcontractorsCommittee of Keppel O&M,Mr Chor How Jat, GM(Operations) of Keppel FELSand Mr Richard Tay, ShipyardManager of Keppel FELS.keppelite
We will never be toobusy to listen to yourproblems. Whenever youencounter a problem,come to us and togetherwe will find a solution.Mr Tong Chong HeongMD & COO of Keppel Offshore & Marine
32 Business
Keppelite I November 2007
Having invested in Indonesiafor more than a decade witha diverse portfolio rangingfrom the renowned RiaBintan Golf Resort to BGJunction in Surabaya andgrade-A office buildingWisma BCA, Keppel Land willsoon launch its 270-haresidential township, JakartaGarden City.
Jakarta Garden City will offera green haven for families,with its communal gardensand parks, tree-lined
Green sanctuarieswalkways and landscapedpublic areas.
Members of the press fromIndonesia recently visitedKeppel Landâs award-winning properties inSingapore and learnedabout the developerâs âgreenâprojects.
In particular, the overseaspress was impressed by thelush landscaping and expanseof waterscape withinCaribbean at Keppel Bay.
Home to some 2,200 shrubsand 800 trees, Caribbean atKeppel Bay was bestowedtwo awards in theL a n d s c a p e I n d u s t r yAssociation (Singapore)Awards of Excellence2006. These include theGold Award in theImplementation/Residentialcategory for the quality ofplant materials used,installation techniques andcraftsmanship and SilverAward in the Maintenancecategory for the condition of
the plants and cleanliness ofthe site.
In Jakarta Garden City,Keppel Land will bring itsregional expertise andexperience to transform theenvironment into integratedwork-live-play spaces toimprove the quality of life ofthe community.
The first phase, comprisingsome 1,000 units, will belaunched in end-2007. keppelite
Environment, Health andSafety (EHS) is integralto Keppelâs businesses.Furthering the safety thrust,the environmental technologyand engineering division of theGroup, Keppel IntegratedEngineering (KIE) inauguratedits annual EHS Convention on31 October.
To some 150participantsincluding business partners,Mr Wong Boon Kong,Chairman of KIE said inhis welcome address,â I m p l e m e n t i n g E H Smeasures has reduced ourresource usage, therebyachieving higher efficienciesin our operations.
âWe want to share the firststeps of our journey with our
Safe guards
partners and encouragethem to share our vision; atthe same time learn fromother organisations that havedone so.â
Mr Lee Yuen Hee, CEO ofNational EnvironmentAgency said, âA strongculture of instill ingresponsible care for theenvironment and setting ahigh standard of safetyaugurs well for KIE. Itreflects a forward-lookingorganisation that plansahead and is willing to investin building a foundationthat would support futuregrowth.â
Going forward, KIE willstep up consideration of
environmental and safetyefforts by contractors andsuppliers when evaluatingthem for future projects.
The convention ended withan entertaining skit by
Keppel Sea Scan employeesand the presentation of theISO 14001 certificate toKeppel Seghers. keppelite
A skit by Keppel Sea Scan employees demonstrates the importance of work safety
Business 33
Keppelite I November 2007
Fund managers and analystsfrom around the globecontinue to visit Keppelâsyards in Singapore to learnabout its facilities, operationsand management.
This month, KeppelOffshore & Marineâs seniormanagement hostedmeetings and yard tours withthe Pacific Pension Instituteand Morgan Stanley groups.
Local yards, global exchangeThe visitors formed a diverseassembly of fund managersand analysts from America,Asia Pacific, Britain and alsothe Scandinavian nations.
Regardless of which countrythey hailed from, theyshared one similarity â highesteem for the scale andcapabilities of operations atKeppelâs yards. keppelite
Visitors from the Pacific Pension Institute taking a keen interest in the project managementprocesses involved in building rigs
Keppel Corporation playedhost to Mr Alberto Bresciano,Director of Agency ofInvestment Planning, WaterResources, from the FederalGovernment of Argentina
Clear vision of clean waterand Mr Abel Fatala, amember of the Board ofDirectors for Agua ySaneamientos Argentinos(AySA) recently. AySAprovides water and
wastewater services toBuenos Aires city which has8 million citizens.
The two gentlemen were nostranger to Keppelâsenvironmental business.Keppel Seghers has a trackrecord of about 20 waterprojects in Argentina. BesidesKeppel Corporation, theyalso visited Keppel SeghersâUlu Pandan NEWater Plant togain an insight of Keppelâscapabilities for large-scalewastewater treatment andreuse.
In 2006, Keppel Seghers wasawarded two contracts for itsproprietary UNITANKâąwater treatment technologypackage. The first was
awarded by Lomas deZamora City. It has apopulation of 118,600 andis located 16km southwest ofBuenos Aires, capital ofArgentina. Capable oftreating 10 million litres ofwastewater a day, this is thethird municipal wastewatertreatment plant in Argentina.
The second contract wasa w a rd e d b y Z u m o sArgentinos S. A., a subsidiaryof the German SteinhauserGroup, a leader in foodand vegetable juices andconcentrates. Keppel Seghersprovided engineer ing,turnkey electromechanicalsupply, mounting and startupfor wastewater treatment.keppelite
Discussing solutions for a cleaner future is (from left to right) Mr Abel Fatala, board memberof AYSA and Mr Alberto Bresciano, Director of Agency of Investment Planning with Mr TeoSoon Hoe, Group Finance Director, Keppel Corporation
34 Team
Keppelite I November 2007
34 Team
Uniquely Singapore arrivedin Durban on 17 November2007, Saturday to atraditional Zulu welcome atthe end of the gruelling racefrom Salvador, Brazil.
Crossing the finish line at0216 local time (0016 GMT)in eighth place after threeweeks of racing, UniquelySingapore had closed thegap on the South Africanentry, Durban 2010 andBeyond, significantly over thelast hours of racing but wasunable to squeeze intoseventh before the finish line.
Tucking into a breakfast ofbacon, eggs and fresh coffeeat the Royal Natal YachtClub, Uniquely SingaporeSkipper Mark Preedy said,âThe team has really pulledtogether in this race. It wasour second major oceancrossing and everyoneonboard developed theirskills during the race.â
After arriving in Durban,Uniquely Singapore Round-the-Worlder and KeppelAmbassador, Hizam Haiyonsaid of his second-legexperience, âThe last fewdays of the Salvador-Durbanleg saw some unfavourablewind and current conditionsas we struggled to squeezeevery last extra knot fromthe yacht. It was arduousbut exciting as we pushed
Uniquely Singapore arrives inDurban to Zulu welcome
hard to close in on Durban2010 and Beyond.â
He added, âWe are all verytired now but it feels so goodto finally see land after threeweeks out at sea. We willspend the following daysdeep cleaning the boatand doing repairs andmaintenance. At the sametime, we are all lookingforward to a good rest torecharge our batteries andprepare for the next race.â
Uniquely Singaporeexperienced some dramaafter crossing the line. Witha line caught round the 68-ft yachtâs propeller, they were
brought in under tow,further extending the crewâsneed for the much-awaitedcold beers.
Durban was experiencingunstable weather, causingthe ten yachts to experienceexperience a tough passageup the South Africancoastline. The teams havebeen tested to their limitswith constant wind shiftsand seemingly endless sailchanges.
Upon arrival, the teamsreceived a traditional Zuluwelcome in the race villagein Durban Marina and theyand the rest of the crews
from the ten internationalcity-sponsored yachts will beenjoying all the hospitalitythat Durban, Africaâs ZuluKingdomâs bewitchingseaside playground, has tooffer.
Line honours went to Hull& Humber, who crossedthe line at 0108 local(0308 GMT) on Thursday15 November, followed sixminutes later by New Yorkat 2314 local (2114 GMT)who will take the points forfirst place after Hull &Humber incurred a four-hourtime penalty for notreturning to the point wherethey stopped racing and
(Second from left) Keppel Ambassadors Hizam Haiyon and Koh Kok Siong drink from the traditional Zulu calabash upon arrival in Durban
Team 35
Keppelite I November 2007
TEAM POSITIONSOverall Team Pointsposition
1 Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper 212 Liverpool 08 20.53 Hull & Humber 184 Durban 2010 and Beyond 175 New York 13.56 Nova Scotia 12.57 Qingdao 11.58 Westernaustralia2011.com 119 Uniquely Singapore 910 Jamaica 3.5
Onboard Uniquely Singapore
Career-wise, the AssistantManager in HR whocelebrated her 10 years ofservice to the Keppel Groupwhile training in Gosport,UK, has tasted her fair shareof testing times as shestretched her professionallimits as a long-timeKeppelite.
Trained as a Shipbuilding &Offshore Engineer, she latertook on the roles andresponsibilities of an ITSpecialist and is now takingpride and pleasure in honingher human relationship skillsas a HR practitioner.
With an independent andcome-what-may mindset,Agatha thrives on the
At the start of theSalvador-Durban race, amedical incident onboardHull & Humber became anail-biting fight againsttime to remove acrewmember from theyacht to ensure his safety.
Called upon at shortnotice, the Keppel FELSBrasil team offered theirutmost support andassistance on the ground,in the medical evacuationof Sam Willis, who wastransferred to a BrazilianNavy warship and later tothe Hospital Santa Rita inVitoria on the Braziliancoast.
Rescue operation in Rio!Tremendous help alsocame from externalagencies, includingFalmouth Coastguard andthe British Consulate, theBrazilian Navy and BrazilianMRCC in Rio de Janeiro.
Carie Biggs from ClipperVentures shared, âIt isreassuring to know thatwe have the support of oursponsors in hours of needand are grateful thatsituations like this can beovercome by the uniting offriends and supportingparties of the ClipperRace.â
started their engine in orderto carry out a medicalevacuation.
Leg 3 of the Clipper 07-08Race from Durban toF re m a n t l e , We s t e r nAustralia, started on Sunday25 November.
DRY SWIMMING ON SEAPlaying mahjong onboardUniquely Singapore â that is
Agatha Gohâs wildest fantasyas she prepares to embark onthe race of her lifetime fromDurban to Fremantle!
By self admission, the 31-year old has a healthyappetite for excitement, risk,fun and challenges, whichexplains her penchant for thegame and keen participationin the Clipper Race.
adrenalin that the challengesonboard will bring. Shebelieves that her training atwork already gives her anedge â being easily adaptableand seeking to learn from therace with an open mind.
Looking to forward torejoining the team, Agathapacked sour plums and pain-relieving patches for her trip,knowing that they wouldcome into handy use forherself and fellow teammates.
Luckily for the crew, weightlimitations onboard will notallow Agatha to pack themahjong tiles too, or else itwould dry swimming on seaevery night! keppelite
(Seated) Grabbing the bull by its horns, Agatha Goh is prepared for her Clipper experience
36 Team
Keppelite I November 2007
Winners of the Royal Flush game beaming with delight at finding their matching partners
Anyone from mischiefmakers to organisedsyndicates can wreak havocon businesses by hackingcorporate websites ortargeting weaknesses in theirIT infrastructure, potentiallycompromising businesscontinuity and intellectualproperty.
The need to keep abreastof IT advancements andheightening security
Security bytesmeasures was the key driverbehind the IT SecuritySeminar â Protecting DigitalAssets â organised by KeppelGroup IT on 6 November2007.
Untangling the fuzzy logicfor some 60 participantsfrom across Keppelâs businessunits, the seminar wasopened by Mr Charles Foo,MD (Special Projects) of
Keppel Offshore & Marineand Chairman of the KeppelIT Steering Committee.
Mr Foo emphasised the needfor a conducive frameworkwhere end-users of thecompanyâs IT infrastructurecould work in an environmentof trust, predictability andcertainty. This requiresproactive steps to mitigate therisk of security threats.
Mr Martin Ling, Deputy GMof Keppel Group IT alsoshared, âGiven thetremendous change broughtabout by the mass adoptionof Internet technologies andthe corresponding increase inthreats to informationsecurity, it is important thatusers of IT be aware of thesepotential threats and adoptsafe practices and goodsecurity habits. keppelite
The backbone of dailybusiness connections andcommunications, KeppelGroup IT team fused otherconnections at a recent eventâ the inaugural KeppelIT Networking Dinner.
Attended by nearly ahundred IT professionals
IT connects
from the Groupâs businessunits, the event was aplatform to encouragee x c h a n g e o f i d e a s ,knowledge and practicesacross the Groupâs IT experts.
M r P a u l Ta n , G ro u pC o n t ro l l e r o f K e p p e lCorporation shared, âLike
the transformation of thispiece of land from asingle shipyard that spawneda global network of20 yards, into a world-classcondominium developmentthat will be iconic toSingaporeâs skyline, so mustwe rely on IT to support andenable our businesses in
meeting the challenges oftodayâs highly competitive,globalised environment.â
New friendships were madeamidst the evening of fungames and good food,against the beautifulwaterfront setting of KeppelBay where the dinner washeld. keppelite
Team 37
Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel Offshore & Marineâs(Keppel O&M) reputationfor excellence in projectexecution rests upon itspeople. On and off the jobtraining are part and parcelof the groupâs peopledevelopment plan.
To enhance the projectmanagement skills ofemployees, the Group TalentDevelopment collaboratedwith the National Universityof Singapore (NUS) BusinessSchool to designed ac u s t o m i s e d P r o j e c tManagement Programme.
The programme gathersbest practices in projectmanagement from acrossthe group and bequeathsthis knowledge to youngproject managers, projectsuperintendents and projectengineers to improve theirmanagement skills.
Executing excellence
Mr Yong Chee Min, GM (HSE)of Keppel O&M, who is alsoGM (Projects) of Keppel FELSwas invited to share hisvaluable experiences with theparticipants.
He said, âSharing some ofmy exper iences andchallenges faced during mystints in the Philippines and
Brazil with the youngmanagers provide real-lifei n s i g h t t o p r o j e c tm a n a g e m e n t a n dcomplement the courseâstheoretical content taught bythe NUS Professors.â
The inaugural session wasconduc ted on 18 and1 9 O c t o b e r w i t h 2 8
participants from the KeppelFELS project managementteam. Following the session,the participants worked ingroups and applied lessonslearnt from the programmeby presenting suggestionsf o r i m p r o v e m e n t i nbusiness processes to KeppelO&Mâs management on1 November. keppelite
Participants of the inaugural Keppel O&M-NUS Project Management Programme
Chairman & CEO of KeppelO&M, Mr Choo Chiau Beng,shared his insights and viewson the dynamic oil and gasindustry, as well as how tostay competitive andsustainable through thetimes.
A t a d i n n e r t a l k o n30 October 2007 organisedb y t h e 3 i G r o u p , a n
Views from the topinternational venture capitalfirm, Mr Choo shared thechanging dynamics of the oiland gas services industry inSouth East Asia. Hehighlighted the needs toimprove productivity andenhance recovery in oil andgas production, cost effectivesolutions for fielddevelopments andadvancements in technology.
Mr Choo also spoke to alumnimembers of the Harvard Clubof Singapore on building aSingapore multinationalcorporation on 8 October.Keppel O&M, as a subsidiaryof Keppel Corporation, hasits unique business modelwhich allows it to remaincompetitive in the boom timeand sustainable even duringthe lull period.
The business modelcomprises four uniqueattributes - ânear market,near customerâ strategy, thegroupâs human capital,building brand equitythrough excellent execution,and being a contractor, IPowner and a solutionsprovider. keppelite
38 People
Keppelite I November 2007
38 People
An old school gentleman. Aleader who led by example.A dear friend. A kind boss.
Thatâs how many describedMr Sim Kee Boon, whopassed away on 9 November2007 at age 78, having liveda full life and made an impacton the lives of others.
Tough man, bold visionKeppelites remember the lateMr Sim as a tough man witha bold vision.
Mr Sim became ExecutiveC h a i r m a n o f K e p p e lCorporation in 1984, afterleaving his previous positionas head of Singaporeâs civilservice. He stepped down
from his post in 2000 andwas appointed SeniorAdvisor until his retirement in2003.
For almost 20 years, Mr Simdedicated his corporate lifeto the stewardship of Keppel,growing the company froma shipyard into the Singapore
icon it is today. He was a trueblue Keppelite.
Keppelites across the Grouppaid tribute to the man whocommitted total dedicationand devotion to growingKeppel.
Mr Sim Kee Boon wasappointed Director ofKeppel Corporation inFebruary 1984 and becameExecutive Chairman in May1984.
He joined the Civil Servicei n 1 9 5 3 s o o n a f t e rgraduation and rosethrough the echelons tobecome Acting PermanentSecretary (Ministry ofNational Development)in 1962 and Acting
P e r m a n e n t S e c r e t a r y(Ministry of Finance) in1963.
Between 1964 and 1965, hewas one of three DeputyChairmen of the TariffAdvisory Board of Malaysiawhen Singapore was partof Malaysia. In 1966, hewas appointed PermanentSecretary in the Ministry ofFinance. He was seconded toIntraco Ltd in 1968 asChairman and ManagingDirector until 1974.
He then returned to theCivil Service to becomePermanent Secretary in theMinistry of Communicationsfrom 1975 to 1984. In 1979,he was appointed Head ofCivil Service, a post whichhe held till his retirementin 1984. From 1983, healso concurrently heldthe position of PermanentSecretary to the Public
Knowing the man âŠ
Service Division of theMinistry of Finance.
In addition to his CivilService duties, Mr Sim wasappointed to the Boardof Directors of variousG o v e r n m e n t - b a c k e dc o m p a n i e s . H e w a sappointed Chairman ofNational Grain Elevator Ltd in1968, a post he relinquishedin 1987. At about the sametime, he was appointedDirector of DBS Bank Ltd,and Chairman of InsuranceCorporation of Singapore,but relinquished both thesepositions in 1981 and 1982respectively.
In 1988, he was appointed amember of SingaporeTotalisator Board. In 1989, hebecame a member of theEconomic DevelopmentBoardâs International DirectI n v e s t m e n t s A d v i s o r yC o m m i t t e e & J a p a n -
S ingapo re E conomicAdvisory Group.
He was made Chairmanof the Singapore-SuzhouTownship Development in1993. In 1997, he wasappointed Director of PSACorporation Ltd.
Mr Sim had just steppeddown as Chairman of theCivil Aviation Authorityof Singapore (CAAS) inAugust 1999 after 15 yearsat the helm. In September1999, he was appointedSpecial Adviser to theCAAS Board.
In 1963, he was awardedthe Meritorious ServiceMedal and the MalaysiaMedal and in 1991 he wasawarded the DistinguishedService Order. In January1997, he was sworn in asa member of the Councilof Presidential Advisers.
People 39
Keppelite I November 2007
âKeppelites have benefitedimmensely from Mr Simâsleadership during his 16years tenure as GroupExecutive Chairman. Hedeveloped a strong andstable platform for Keppelupon which we have beenable to develop and grow ata sustained pace duringthese last eight years.Keppelâs success today is aresult of his vision andefforts.
âAs his colleague, I havelearned much from himthrough his inimitable style,particularly his great sense ofoptimism and cheerfulnesseven during very tryingtimes.âMr Lim Chee OnnExecutive ChairmanKeppel Corporation
âI will always rememberMr Sim Kee Boon as asuccessful man who was ableto balance well the demandsof business and public servicewith family life and a passionfor golf. He was an excellentboss â he demanded resultsbut was humane and caring.He always kept his cool likeholing the final putt in animportant 18th hole!âMr Choo Chiau BengSenior Executive Director,Keppel CorporationChairman & CEO, KeppelOffshore & Marine
âMr Sim remained aKeppelite to the very end, aterm coined during histenure as our Chairman. Hewould make it a point toattend all the importantfunctions. Even when he had
a relapse a few months ago,he displayed a strong andpositive attitude andcontinued his contacts withthe Keppel team. We inKeppel shall miss him dearly.His indomitable spirit shalllive in us forever.âMr Teo Soon HoeSenior Executive Director &Group Finance DirectorKeppel Corporation
âMr Sim is a great mentorand never failed toremember those who hadworked with him. He kept intouch with those he knew,and never failed to sendnotes, smses, or emails tocongratulate or encourage.I found him to be mostdecisive yet humble andunderstanding and a greatboss to work with.âMr Tong Chong HeongMD & COO, Keppel Offshore& Marine
âMr Sim was respected andloved. In all his years atKeppel, he has taught mealways to be first aSingaporean and then aKeppelite in my thinkingprocess because what isgood for Singapore will begood for the future ofKeppel. I learned a lot fromone of the finest masters inthe art of communication.
âI will always remember himas one who has a meticulousattention for details as wellas an infectious joire de vivre,always affable and charmingto everyone he meets.âMs Wang Look FungGM, Keppel GroupCorporate Communications
âMr Sim Kee Boon was a fineman and an inspiration toeveryone fortunate enoughto work with him. He guidedM1âs success in our earlyyears and his advice wasmuch appreciated by me andall our directors and seniormanagement. We will misshim very much.âMr Neil MontefioreCEOMobileOne Ltd
âMr Sim was a great bosswho made you feel at easewith the way he handledsubordinates. I rememberhim as an approachable bosswho asked questions likeâanything else you thinkI should knowâ when we
updated him on businessmatters. He was also a verydetailed person when findingsolutions to problems.âMr Hoe Eng Hock,ED, Keppel Singmarine
âI remember Mr Sim as a verymeticulous man who homedin on details. He once sharedwith me, that I must inspectthe services provided bySpringcity as though I werethe user. He rarely used theVVIP Channel in ChangiA i r p o r t d e s p i t e h i sentitlement, so that he couldexperience the day-to-daytraveller experience.âMr Arthur Yeo,GM, Spring City Golf &Lake Resort
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Keppelite I November 2007
In-line skating is a widelyloved sport, but setting anew Guinness World Recordby skating for 6,000 kmacross five countries within100 days is a challenge thatwill only be taken up by thetoughest of minds and fittestof bodies.
Willpower and perseverancewill be put to the test bySingapore adventurer KhooSwee Chiow in his newestfeat, âThe Worldâs LongestJourney on Skatesâ.
As his main sponsor, theKeppel Group resonates withthe values demonstrated byKhooâs attempt â the spirit ofadventure and achievement;passion, and a global outlook.
In-line with Keppelâs Can-Do! SpiritThe sponsorship is also in linewith Keppelâs commitment tocreate holistic livingenvironments in everycommunity where it operates.One such initiative is thehealthy lifestyle conceptdesigned and integrated inKeppel Landâs residentialtownships in Vietnam, namelySaigon Sports City and theDong Nai township.
Khooâs expedition will alsospread the message ofenvironmental conservationand the reduction of energyconsumption through skating.
Khoo has started his journeyfrom Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi,on 20 October 2007, and willtravel through Vinh, Hue,
Danang, Ho Chi Minh City,Tay Ninh, and Xa Mat. He willspend an estimated 33 daysin Vietnam.
This challenge will also bringKhoo through other Asiancountries such as Cambodia,Thailand and Malaysia,before his arrival inSingapore.
An adventure aficionado,Khoo has conquered MountEverest not once, but twice.He is also the first SoutheastAsian and fourth in the worldto have climbed the SevenSummits, and reach bothNorth and South poles orwhat is known as theâAdventure Grand Slamâ.keppelite
If you enjoy water sports,have a zest for life, possess aâCan Do!â attitude and mostimportantly, always had apassion for or would like totry out dragon boating, thenthe Keppelite RecreationClubâs Dragon Boat teambeckons.
Upcoming races for 2008are the UOB Dragon Tug,Corporate CommunityGames, Jurong Island Race,SAVA Sprints and SingaporeRiver Regatta. Join us for aslice of the action!
Enter the dragonTraining is held weekly onSaturday afternoons at theKallang Riverside Park.Equipment such as jerseys,life vests and pedals will beprovided.
For more details, contact:Team Captain â Darryl [email protected] 3015
Vice Captain â Teng Hong [email protected] 1385
Secretary â Caroline [email protected] 3426 keppelite
Row, row, row our boat â with the Keppelite Recreation Club!
Having scaled the Seven Summits andsurvived the North and South Polesexpeditions, Singapore adventurer KhooSwee Chiow is skating his way through Asia
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppel FELSâ ability toensure on-time, on-budgetdeliveries without incidenthas been the result ofthe focus, effort anddetermination of its people.The increase in workloadand responsibilities hastherefore prompted somere-organisation.
Since 1 November 2007, MrMichael Chia, ED of KeppelFELS has taken charge ofCustomers and Marketing,Engineering, Commercialand Projects. Commercialincludes Estimating &Analysis and Purchasing.
Mr Wong Kok Seng, SeniorGM (Group Procurement)has been promoted to ED(Operations) of Keppel FELSto oversee Planning andControl, which includesProduction Planning, CuttingPlan, Production Control andOperations. Hisresponsibilities underOperations would beProduction, Commissioning,Subcontracting andWarehousing & Logistics.
Taking over the role of SeniorGM (Group Procurement) isMr Ho Cheok Yuen whorecently completed hissecondment in USA asPresident & CEO of KeppelAmFELS. He will oversee
At the helmPurchasing and MaterialsManagement as well as assistthe various EDs in materialsmanagement and supplychain management.
From Japan, Dr Yip Hee Yancompleted his stint asPresident of Regency SteelJapan and returned toSingapore to take up thepost of Senior ProgramManager for KOMtech.
Coming back after threeyears in Rio De Janeiro withKeppel FELS Brasil is Mr LeowBan Tat. He has beenseconded from KeppelShipyard to Keppel FELS asSenior Marketing Manager.
Deputy CEO Daniel Changhas assumed the position ofPresident & CEO of KeppelFELS Brasil.
BROWNIE POINTSFor his leadership andsupport of economicdevelopment initiatives bythe city of Brownsville,Mr Ho Cheok Yuendeservingly earned theBrownsville EconomicDevelopment Council (BEDC)Economic DevelopmentLeadership Award, during histenure in USA from May2003 to November 2007.keppelite
Mr and Mrs Tay receiving farewell presents as friends and Keppelites say their goodbyes
Mr Tay Kim Hock may havereturned to Singapore aftera seven-year secondmentto Rio de Janeiro as KeppelFELS Brasilâs President &CEO, but he remainsconnected to Rio with awealth of well-wishers.Mr Tay is now SeniorGM (Group BusinessDevelopment) of KeppelO&M and also assists ED ofKeppel Singmarine, MrNelson Yeo, in the Qataryard development.
âThanks for all yoursupport and dedication allthese years to build up thecompany as it is now. Havea nice trip back home andgood luck in Singapore.ââ Karina Stoff,Legal Coordinator
âFirst, I would like to thankyou for the support that wasgiven to me. Second is tocomment that you are ablessed man because youhave secured three ofthe biggest platformconstruction contracts(P-51, P-52 and P-56) withPetrobras for Keppel FELSBrasil.ââ Alceu Mariano,InstitutionalRelations Director)
âIt was indeed a greatprivilege to work with Mr Taythroughout these yearson the P-51 project. Hiscontribution was essential tokeep the team confident andmotivated to carry out theproject successfullyâ.â Jose Pedro,Projector Director of P-51& P-56
Rio connection
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Keppelites Abroad
Waste mattersWaste is a matter of concernto Alfonso Sincioco Jr.,an assistant constructionmanager at Keppel Seghers,t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a lengineering arm of KeppelIntegrated Engineering(KIE). After all, he is involvedin one of Keppelâs largestcontracts secured in theMiddle East.
Alfonsoâs responsibilitiesinclude the planning ofworks, interfacing withc o n s u l t a n t s a n dsubcontractors on all aspectsof design coordination andensuring that work is carriedout on schedule.
KIE secured a S$1.7 billioncontract to design, build andoperate an Integrated SolidWaste Management facilityin Qatar in 2006. Expectedto be completed in 2009, thisfacility will process and treatdomestic solid waste for thewhole of Qatar. KIE will thenoperate and maintain thefacility for 20 years.
Working on a major projectfor KIE is nothing new toAlfonso. He was part of theteam that built anotherlandmark infrastructureproject, the Keppel SeghersUlu Pandan NEWater Plant inSingapore.
Part of a diverse 40-strongteam made up of variousnationalities, Alfonso findscommunication a challenge asthe majority of the people inQatar speak Arabic and Hindiand only a few understandEnglish. Fortunately, he has thehelp of his fellow teammembers who understandArabic and Hindi.
Besides language, Alfonsoalso took time to accustomto the other quirks of thisforeign land. Temperaturesin the emirate can hit 50degrees in summer andsandstorms are notuncommon.
He shared, âGetting to placesby public transportation inQatar can be challenging. Itis more convenient to travelby car for your daily needswhether it is shopping orgetting to work. Besides, theheat can sometimes getprohibitive so having a carreally helps.â
Another quirk that a true-blue city-dweller like Alfonsohas to get used to is that onlythe major shopping centresaccept cashless payment. Foreverywhere else, Alfonso hasto pay cash for his groceries,petrol and other dailypurchases.
He quipped, âQatar is a cleanand beautiful country. Manypeople think of Qatar as adesert land but few knowthat it has a beautiful citywith a scenic bayfront atAl Corniche. Qatar is a veryexciting place for businessesto be in now. You can feelthe buzz of the businessopportunities in the air.â
Explaining his motivation towork overseas, Alfonsosays, âThe offer came at anopportune time, I was reallylooking for a big challengein my career after finishingthe Ulu Pandan project andcompleting my Mastersprogramme. This project will
Braving the heat to be in one of Keppelâs largest environmental projects is Alfonso Sincioco Jr.,(second from right) with his colleagues
be another achievement inmy career.â
He added, âThe experienceyou gain during an overseasposting is invaluable. Youcome out of your owncomfort zone and grow.â
The experience makes himappreciative of all the littlethings his wife does for him.Married with three children,he calls home daily to keepin contact. He adds, âI amvery lucky to have thesupport of my wife andchildren.â keppelite
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Keppelite I November 2007
Community 43
Project runway
Green Initiatives
Keppelites, including seniormanagement across theKeppel Group, participatedin the National EnvironmentAgencyâs (NEA) inauguralS e m a k a u C o r p o r a t eEnvironmental Outreach( C E O ) R u n h e l d o n17 November 2007 atPulau Semakau. The KeppelGroup contributed $70,000towards this event.
âAs a keen supporter ofenvironmental causes, Keppelis happy to be the mainsponsor for NEAâs initiative tospur the business communityto recognise the importanceo f e n v i r o n m e n t a l
responsibility,â said Mr ChanSoo Sen, Director ofChairmanâs Office, KeppelCorporation.
The funds raised will bechannelled to six locale n v i r o n m e n t a l N o n -Governmental Organisationsto develop, improve andsustain their communityoutreach and educationefforts.
They are the SingaporeEnv i ronment Counc i l ,Restrooms Association,Climate Change Organisation,SIIA Haze Programme,Waterways Watch and
was graced by Mr Teo CheeHean, Minister for Defence,Dr Amy Khor, SeniorParliamentary Secretary,Ministry of Environment andWater Resources, Mr SimonTay, Chairman of NEA and MrLee Yuen Hee, CEO of NEA.
âThe business sector playsa pivotal role in helpingto achieve a sustainablequality living environmentin Singapore and weare encouraged by thesupport from the businesscommunity rendered for thisevent,â said Mr Lee.
Besides the run, there wereother activities like birdwatching, fishing and golfingto showcase a different sideof Singaporeâs only offshore,operating landfill.
Earlier this year, Keppellaunched Singaporeâs firstcoral nursery at PulauSemakau, donated 100,000reusable bags through NTUCFairPrice stores islandwide onâBring Your Own Bag Dayâ,and supported Tanglin-Cairnhill CCCâs âMake YourOwn Bagâ project.
These are among the manygreen initiatives taken byKeppel to continuouslyspread the message forenvironmental consciousnessand responsibility. keppelite
Environmental ChallengeOrganisation.
Mr Edmund Song, GM ofHR, Keppel IntegratedEngineering, who proudlyrepresented the KeppelGroup at the run, said,âKeppelâs participation is astrong example that thecompany is committed toenvironmental protection,not just in words but throughaction as well.â
The 5-km Fun Run wasflagged off by Dr YaacobIbrahim, Minister for theEnvironment and WaterResources, while the event
Keppelites, together with representatives from other corporations, warm up for the 5-km Fun Run
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Keppelite I November 2007
SHARE AND CAREKeppel FELS has been astrong supporter of theCommunity Chestâs SHAREProgramme since 2002. Overthe past few years, KeppelFELSâ SHARE contributionand participation rate hasincreased. More than 1,000employees signed up as newdonors, contributing to theincrease in the total donationby $90,000.
On 12 September 2007,Keppel FELS received theSHARE Achiever Award in
Charity across communitiesKeppel Offshore & Marineâs subsidiaries have been actively contributing tothe Groupâs corporate social responsibility efforts, Keppelite reports.
recognition of its patronageof the Programme. Thecompany also won theSHARE Corporate GoldAward as the yard matchesits employeesâ SHAREcontributions on a regularbasis.
Keppel Shipyard and KeppelLogistics both won theSHARE Gold Award whileKeppel Singmarine won theSHARE Platinum Award andthe 5 Year OutstandingSHARE Award. The latterreceived the awards because
i t h a s m a i n t a i n e d i t semployeesâ participation rateat the Platinum level for thepast five years.
GIVING FILLIP TO THECOASTThe spirit of volunteerismalso flourishes within ourFilipino counterparts, asemployees from KeppelBatangas Shipyard andKeppel Cebu Shipyard tookpart in the 22nd AnnualInternational CoastalCleanup (ICC) on15 September.
Armed with rakes, trash bagsand Keppelâs trademark âCanDo!â spirit, volunteers fromboth yards trooped to theBatangas and Cebu coastlineand gathered trash that hadwashed up in the area. Theywere joined in this effort bylocal government uni ts ,non-government agenciesand the Philippine PortsAuthority.
The volunteers were able tocollect more than twentytrash bags of solid waste thatincluded non-biodegradablematerials. If left uncollected,these would have endangeredthe local marine life.
Mr Kok Boon Heng,President of KeppelBatangas, said, âWe areproud to be part of thisglobal event. We hope thatour collective effort will leadto a cleaner environment.â
âKeppel Cebu always looksfor opportunities to lend ahand in the community andplay an active role in theprotection of the marineenvironment,â added Mr FokSwee Yin, President ofKeppel Cebu.
Edmund Lek, Assistant GM (Production) of Keppel Singmarine receives the Platinum SHARE Award from H.E. S R Nathan, President of theRepublic of Singapore, at the Istana
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NURTURING YOUNGMINDSReturning our focus toSingapore, Keppel Shipyardhas supported the efforts
of Chung Cheng HighSchool (Main) in promotinga green education for theirstudents for the last fouryears.
Keppel Batangas and Keppel Cebu are repeat participants in the ICC every year in efforts toclean up marine debris along the coastline
Climate change is an issuethat affects not just us butour future generations too.This viewpoint has guidedKeppel Shipyard in theircontinued participation ofthe National EnvironmentAgencyâs Annual Clean& Green Week SchoolsCarnival.
During the exhibition,Chung Cheng High studentsshowcased their projects onusing bioremediation to clearup oil spills, while anotherfeatured an anti-mosquitopot which prevents mosquitolarvae from breeding.
Keppel Shipyard played itspart in the studentseducation by inviting them
for a tour of the greeninitiatives around the yard.GM (Operations), KeppelShipyard Tuas, Mr Abu Bakarexplained the workings ofthe yard while HSE Officerof Keppel Shipyard Tuas,Belinda Pang showed themaround the yard.
Mr Bakar said, âI amimpressed to see howenvironmentally consciousthese students are. Here atKeppel Shipyard, we arehappy to share our effortsand initiatives with them.Education is an importantfacet of environmentalchange and we are proud tosupport Chung ChengHigh School in their efforts.âkeppelite
HSE Officer, Keppel Shipyard Tuas, Belinda Pang (2nd from right) visits Chung Cheng Highâs students and their teacher at the Annual Clean and Green Week School Carnival
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Keppelite I November 2007
Keppelâs offices were realityclassrooms to its youngestbatch of interns when fivesecondary three studentsfrom Methodist Girlsâ Schooldecided to have a taste ofworking life way ahead oftheir peers.
âI wanted to experiencewhat working life is like, anditâs good for my portfolio,âsaid 15-year-old ElizabethShee, who interned atKeppel Logistics.
The ten-day internshipprogramme in November
Reality classroomssaw the girls working in thecorporate environment forthe first time.
Michelle Cheung, who wasposted to Group HR, KeppelCorporation, elaborated onthe differences in lifestyle.âIn school, most of our timeis focused on individual workand we just need to followthe timetable. But workinghere, thereâs no timetable tofollow so I had to prioritisemy time and accommodatemy colleagues schedules aswell.â keppelite
An advocate of corporatesocial responsibility, theKeppel Group was aPlatinum Sponsor of thisyearâs National Volunteerism& Philanthropy and CorporateSocial Responsibility (CSR)Conference.
Organised by the NationalVolunteer & PhilanthropyCentre and SingaporeCompact for CSR, theconference brought togetheran audience of over 600people from non-profitorganisations, corporationsand public sector.
Building on last yearâs themeof Do ing Good We l l ,p rominen t l oca l and
The future of givingin te rnat iona l speakersengaged participants ontopics such as Time is Moneyâ Using Volunteer Time toRaise Funds, Getting TopManagement Support forVolunteer Programmes andCSR Communications,Branding and SocialReporting.
In view of changes tocharity laws earlier this year,the panelists discussedSingaporeâs future as aphilanthropy hub. Forinstance, they shared thatthe removal of the 80:20spending rule for income taxexemption and relaxation ofthe 80:20 fundraising rulewere intended to help
charities optimise theiroperations in Singapore andthe region.
The conference provided avaluable platform forparticipants to gainknowledge on CSR fromindustry experts and learnfrom examples provided byspeakers.
Sharon Seo, Chairperson ofKeppel Volunteers, found thediscussions valuable as theygave her an overview of howbusinesses take a proactiveapproach in integrating botheconomic and socialobjectives in building newmarkets and partnershipopportunities.
She said, âThe talk on utilisingthe 3Ps â Profit, Planet andPeople was useful as itelaborated how setting asidetime for community work canmotivate and engageemployees to feel a greatersense of identification andpride in the company, whichis what Keppel strives toachieve by encouraging itsemployees to take a positiverole in volunteering.â
Held at Suntec SingaporeInternational Convention& Exhibition Centre, theevent took place on 30 and31 October 2007. keppelite
Eager learners â (left to right) Ng Huan Ting, Bernice Kow and Elizabeth Shee
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Keppelite I November 2007
volunteers
Keppelite I November 2007
Bridging community ties
Keppel
Giving a twist to a well-known nursery song,students from Chao YangSchool sang âLondonBridge is very strongâ in aperformance to their parentsand teachers, organised byKeppel Volunteers inpartnership with PracticePerforming Arts School(PPAS).
Using performing arts as aplatform to educate anddevelop the young, theKeppel Volunteers eventcombined dance, story-telling, painting and music tohone the studentsâinteraction skills and enhancetheir interest in learning.
In a school hall brimmingwith laughter and goodcheer, parents beamed withproud smiles as the childrenperformed the ChickenDance with vigour andvivacity to the beat of themusic.
Their boundless energy andenthusiasm soon infectedeveryone who joined in thefun. With a hip twist hereand an arm flap there,everyone danced to a highand had a good workout inthe midst.
Zheng Shu Fen, Engineer(Machinery) at KeppelShipyard (Gul) said, âI wasvery happy to see thestudents animatedlyinteracting with theirparents, teachers andvolunteers. Itâs wonderfulto see them enjoyingthemselves and bringing joyto us adults.â
Part of the dayâs programmeincluded a showcase ofthe studentsâ artistic talents.Using varied paints, thestudents depicted aâgardenâ filled withpotatoes, tomatoes, ladyâsfingers, onions, carrots,ginger and many more.Some were so engrossed inthe activity that theyaccidentally smeared paintonto their clothes!
Ivan Teo, MechanicalEngineer at Keppel FELS,shared, âI enjoyed minglingwith the students. I couldsee the joy and feel theirenergy, and I think that theprogramme makes themmore expressive. I am lookingforward to the next event!Also, I hope to pick up bettercommunication skills wheninteracting with thestudents.â keppelite
Keppel Volunteers form strong bonds with the students over a sing-and-dance session
The children show their parents and volunteers a flap or two during the Chicken Dance
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Keppel-led consortium clinchesUS$1.2b Petrobras contractThe consortium of KeppelFELS Brasil and Technip BrasilEngenharia, Instalacoes eApoio Maritimo (Technip),FSTP Pte Ltd, has secured aUS$1.2 billion contract tobuild a semisubmersibleFloating Production Unit(FPU) for PetrobrasNetherlands BV (PNBV).
FSTP is a 75/25 consortiumcompany between KeppelOffshore & Marine (KeppelO&M) and Technip. The rig,to be named P-56, isexpected to be deliveredex-yard in the last quarter of2010.
P-56 will be a repeat of theP-51 which is currently beingbuilt at Keppel FELS BrasilâsBrasFELS yard.
Mr Tong Chong Heong, MD& COO of Keppel O&M, theparent company of KeppelFELS Brasil, said, âWe areglad to support Petrobras intheir pursuit of nationalcontent as they expand oiland gas production capacity.
âOur âNear Market, NearCustomerâ strategy hasenabled us to better serveour customer, Petrobras,while participating withthem the creation of jobs inthe country. We look forwardto further strengthen ourrelationship with Brazilianoffshore oil and gas
companies. We want to betheir strategic partner as theypursue the expansion of theirbusiness.â
Keppel FELS Brasil will carryout the detailed engineeringof the lower hull andaccommodation, as wellas the construction andintegration of the entire FPU.Technip will be responsiblefor the overall engineeringand detailed engineering ofthe topside and offshoremating.
With displacement of 50,000tonnes, the FPU will be 110metres long and wide, and125 metres tall. It is expectedto operate for 25 years.
P-56 will be positioned atdepths of 1,700 metres and
about 124 km off the coast.Capable of processing andtreating 170,000 barrels ofliquids and 100,000 barrelsof 16Âș API oil, 6 million cubicmeters of natural gas, andof injecting some 280,000barrels of water in thereservoir, P-56 will beconnected to 22 wells, 11 ofwhich are oil and gasproducers and 11 are toinject water.
Keppel O&M has participatedin more than 10 projectsdirectly and indirectly forPetrobras and is currentlycarrying out several projectsfor the Campos region. It hasjust completed the conversionof the P-53 shipshape FPUwhich will have the worldâslargest turret. It has deliveredP-52 to the field location
P-56 will be a repeat of P-51 which is currently being built at Keppel FELS Brasilâs BrasFELS yard
which is expected to achievefirst oil soon.
Technip Brasil Engenharia,Instalacoes e Apoio MaritimoS/A is a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of TechnipOffshore International(headquartered in Paris),controlled by TECHNIP S.A.which is ranked amongthe top five corporations inthe field of oil, gas andpetrochemical engineering,construction and services.
PNBV is a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of Petrobras SA,which i s the s tate o i lcompany of Brazil, engagedin exploration, production,ref in ing, t rad ing andtransportation of petroleumand its by-products at homeand abroad. keppelite