NEW CHIEF AT HELM OF MARITIME SECURITY TASK FORCE

Colonel (COL) Giam Hock Koon took over command of the Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) from Rear-Admiral (RADM) Harris Chan at a Change of Command ceremony held at Tuas Naval Base on 11 Jul.

At the ceremony, COL Giam received the symbol of command from RADM Chan. He also received the letter of appointment from Chief of Navy RADM Ng Chee Peng, who witnessed the ceremony.

Since enlisting in the Navy in 1987, COL Giam has held a variety of operational and staff appointments including commanding officer of missile corvette RSS Vengeance, frigate RSS Steadfast, and 185 Squadron. His most recent appointment was Commander 1st Flotilla.

For three months from March, he commanded the multinational Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 in its counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's most critical shipping lanes. There were no successful hijacking incidents during his tenure.

At the ceremony, COL Giam pledged to enhance the maritime security of Singapore and the region through greater collaboration with national and international agencies.

He said: "It (maritime security) is a business that not only affects the security of Singapore but also the free flow of shipping through our regional waters. These are important and complex issues requiring the support and cooperation of all our maritime security partners, both national as well as international."

RADM Chan, in his farewell address, said he was confident that MSTF would be in very good hands under the leadership of COL Giam whom he described as "highly professional, widely experienced, tactically sound and very smart".

RADM Chan, who took over command of the MSTF in August 2011, led the formation to attain its full operational capability during Exercise APEX in 2012. His past command appointments included commanding officer of missile corvettes RSS Vigilance and RSS Victory.

He also held various staff appointments in the Naval Intelligence Department and Naval Operations Department and as Deputy Head of Joint Operations Planning Branch, Head of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Current Operations Group. He also successfully completed a tour of command of CTF 151 in 2011.

The ceremony was attended by military leaders and servicemen and women from the SAF and Republic of Singapore Navy as well as guests from foreign navies.