For the longest time, it was history and literature that captivated Fatimah Zahra Ebnuarabi, who thought she would find her future in words, not ships.
It was a conversation with her elder brother that first steered her towards the maritime industry. It felt distant – a world associated with vessels, voyages and complex operations.
“I thought maritime was too specialised,” admits the 22-year-old.
Deciding to keep her options open, Zahra took a chance on a maritime business course at Singapore Polytechnic, telling herself she could always change direction if it did not feel right.
What she did not expect was how quickly that tentative choice would reshape her perspective.
As Zahra progressed through her diploma, lessons on global trade and logistics revealed an industry far more dynamic, interconnected and people-driven than she had imagined. Maritime, she learnt, is deeply woven into everyday life – from the food Singapore imports to the goods people buy online and use every day.
“People often think maritime is boring but, within the industry itself, there are so many sectors and opportunities,” she says. “The more I learnt about global trade and how Singapore plays a vital role as a global hub in the shipping industry, the more interested I became.”
Beyond the classroom, the MaritimeONE Campus Connect series organised by the Singapore Maritime Foundation brought industry professionals to school campuses to share insights on their work.
Students also got to meet past and present MaritimeONE scholars who spoke candidly about university life and the mentorship they received through their scholarships. Hearing from those just a few years ahead of her made the industry feel less abstract and far more attainable.
Inspired, Zahra began researching scholarships, hoping to find one that would let her explore the maritime industry while still figuring out what suited her best. She applied for the Bernhard Schulte – MaritimeONE Scholarship. It stood out for its financial support as well as the chance to learn through internships, mentorship and a structured management trainee programme.
“More than just funding for my university education, I was drawn to the scholarship because it allows graduates to work in offices and departments around the world,” she says.
In 2023, Zahra began her maritime studies with a second major in data analytics at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), with her sponsor – German shipowner Bernhard Schulte – guaranteeing her a job after graduation.
Now in her third year at NTU, Zahra has already completed two summer internships at Bernhard Schulte, rotating through multiple departments – an experience that has transformed how she understands maritime operations.
“A big ‘wow’ moment for me was seeing how all the departments fit together, how they connect and work hand-in-hand to provide quality services to customers,” she says.
While she was with the supply department, she observed how orders were received from vessels. In operations, she followed how those same orders were transported on land before being delivered via tugboats at sea.
“Seeing the whole process from start to end showed me where the gaps were and how we must ensure the process is efficient,” she says.
“People often think maritime is boring but, within the industry itself, there are so many sectors and opportunities.”
– Fatimah Zahra Ebnuarabi, recipient of the Bernhard Schulte – MaritimeONE Scholarship
Her second major in data analytics soon proved to be more than an academic add-on. During her time in the mergers and acquisitions department, Zahra saw how data could be used to evaluate a company’s profitability.
“That was when I realised how data analytics could widen my skill sets and allow me to contribute in more meaningful ways,” she says.
Zahra got a chance to apply analytical tools to study inefficiencies across the departments she had worked in, presenting her findings and proposed improvements in a presentation to the managing director, chief operating officer and her project supervisor.
Receiving positive feedback from senior leadership for her well-considered ideas and in-depth understanding of the company’s ideas was both affirming and unexpected, given how short her tenure had been, she says.
“I felt a sense of achievement and fulfilment”,” she reflects. “Even though I am very young and have not been in this industry for long, I can still see where we can do better. It made me feel that I’m definitely doing something right.”
Zahra’s growth has extended beyond the workplace. Last December, she spent two weeks in Guangzhou, China, on an exchange programme at Sun Yat-sen University with fellow NTU undergraduates – her first extended experience living and learning overseas.
Being away from home and navigating daily life in a country whose language she does not read or speak tested her independence. “I had to use Google Translate to navigate daily activities such as ordering food or booking a taxi, but I’m proud of myself for overcoming the language barrier and becoming more independent,” she says.
That confidence will be tested again this year when she embarks on her first overseas internship with Bernhard Schulte in Manila, the Philippines, where she will work in the finance department. It will be her first time living alone abroad – a prospect that fills her with both excitement and nerves.
She sees the posting as another opportunity to explore the breadth of the maritime industry. Zahra is eager to continue developing her skills and working on data-driven ship operations and sustainability solutions. “Being able to communicate changes tactfully so that transitions become smoother is very important,” she adds.
Her journey has also reshaped how she views bonded scholarships, often misunderstood as restrictive. For her, the scholarship’s three-year bond has had the opposite effect. “Bonds allow companies to invest in their people,” she says. “If anything, being bonded has expanded my opportunities in finding a suitable role in my career.”
Above all, Zahra credits the scholarship for giving her the confidence to find direction in her life. “This scholarship programme has really allowed me to talk to people and find out what I want to do, what I should do, what steps to take in my career,” she says.
If she once worried about finding her place in the maritime industry, Zahra now sees her journey differently. “I didn’t think I would be able to find my footing in the industry, but I ended up finding my voice instead,” she says.
