As part of World Engineering Day and International Women’s Day, we’re featuring women engineers across our business in this week’s meet the teams – sharing what they do, what inspires them, and how giving back strengthens engineering teams.

• Name: Chong Hui Phong
• Office: Singapore
• Hobbies: Hiking, Zumba, Netflix-ing, Mahjong

Give us a glimpse into your day-to-day life at Longitude.  What keeps you on your toes?

My days usually start by going through emails and responding accordingly. As part of a global design and engineering company, our Singapore and Asia Pacific teams support clients with marine operations engineering all over the world. Many of these projects have a global footprint, including assets constructed in Asia Pacific shipyards – which makes the work both exciting and, at times, means waking up to a very busy inbox.

As the day continues, I’ll conduct or join team meetings, management discussions and technical reviews, interacting closely with colleagues across our Asia Pacific offices in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia and Singapore.

I also support responding to enquiries and preparing proposals, helping clients solve complex challenges.

In our fast‑paced offshore and energy environment, I’m always looking at new opportunities – ensuring we apply our multidisciplinary skillset and track-record to support our clients’ evolving needs. This includes decarbonisation, increasing automation and the rise of AI, as well as navigating cost pressures in the market without ever compromising on safety or quality.

What drew you to the industry and what keeps you passionate about it?

I actually fell into the oil and gas industry after university – and it went from there. One message I often share with young engineers is that you never know where your first career step might lead. Go in with an open mind, do your best and give it a genuine shot. If it’s right for you, you’ll progress; if not, there are many other industries where your skills can thrive.

I’ve also been fortunate to have the support of a great boss and to work with excellent colleagues. Strong leadership and team spirit make a huge difference in sustaining passion for any industry.

As an engineer, what do you think is key to driving the sustainability of our offshore energy and marine industries?

Engineering plays a critical role in the safety, performance and long‑term success of offshore energy and marine assets. Without it, global trade would be severely impacted, and energy equity would suffer. To sustain the industry, we need to continue valuing engineering expertise properly – attracting and retaining the best talent to help the sector evolve at pace in response to climate and market change.

AI also presents an exciting opportunity to improve efficiency through smarter automation. Used responsibly, it can reduce unnecessary manual processes and costs, while supporting safer, more equitable and more sustainable marine and energy operations.

Beyond the work, what makes you tick outside of the office?

I enjoy spending time both at home and outdoors, and I really value time with family and friends. I also enjoy socialising with colleagues outside of work – whether that’s team activities, shared meals or simply taking time to connect beyond day‑to‑day projects.