22 short-listed for first Dubai International Maritime Awards

"The geographic spread of the short-listed organisations is extremely encouraging, coming as they do from the UAE, Kuwait, Iran, UK, India, Pakistan and Cyprus," explained Chris Hayman, Managing Director, Seatrade.

Initiated to reward top achievers within the regional industry and encourage excellence in the Middle East's shipping sector, the awards will be presented at a sell-out gala dinner being held at the Fairmont Hotel, Dubai on December 6. A donation from the proceeds of the awards dinner will be made to The Mission to Seafarers.

The awards, judged by an independent panel chaired by the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization , Rear Admiral Efthimios Mitropoulos, cover five categories. These spans: Safety and Quality in Shipping; Innovation in Shipping; Port Operations; Countering Marine and Atmospheric Pollution; and Education and Training.

Short-listed Safety And Quality in Shipping candidates are Gulf Agency Company (Dubai) LLC, Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), and Seabulk Offshore Dubai LLC.

Four UAE short-listed candidates are vying for the Innovation In Shipping award. They are GAC Marine Logistics, Gulftainer Company Limited, United Arab Shipping Marine Workshop LLC, and Vela International Marine Ltd.

Short-list for the Port Operations category are: J M Baxi & Co, India; Gulftainer Company Ltd, Dubai; Karachi Port Trust, Pakistan; KGL Port Management Co, Kuwait, South Shipping Lines - IranLine, and United Arab Shipping Marine Workshop LLC of the UAE.

The UAE is competing with Cyprus for the Countering Marine & Atmospheric Pollution award with Aweidha Shipping & Marine Services LLC, Abu Dhabi; Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation, Dubai; and Marichem-Marigases Worldwide Services, Cyprus making up the short list .

Six companies from the UK, Iran and the UAE are in the running for the 'Education & Training' award. The short-list includes: Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL); Kish International Safety Training Centre; National Iranian Tanker Company; Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation, Dubai; Seabulk Offshore Dubai LLC and Videotel Marine International, UK.

The first Dubai International Maritime Awards also include the inaugural Dubai Cruise Award, sponsored by the Government of Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing and the Seatrade Personality of the Year for West and Central Asia title.

The awards are supported by Dubai Maritime City; Dubai Ports Authority and the Government of Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing. The scheme is principally sponsored by Gulf Energy Maritime PJSC (GEM) and also sponsored by ASP- Seascot Shipmanagement Limited; GAC; International Registries, Inc; Charter Trade Global; Lloyd's Register; Dubai Drydocks and Seatrade Academy.

The awards coincide with the staging of Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2004, the region's premier exhibition and conference for maritime sectors, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 6-8.

The event will be almost triple the size of last year with more than 200 exhibitors from 30 countries and industry pavilions from Iran, Turkey, India, Pakistan and Holland. Delegate bookings are over 350, with visitors from more than 20 countries.

Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2004 is being held under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister. The event is sponsored by Dubai Maritime City; Dubai Ports Authority; Government of Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing; Gulf Energy Maritime PJSC (GEM); and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL).

Other sponsors include Aalborg Industries A/S (Dubai branch); Aqua Group; Arabian Adventures; Bloomberg; British Airways; BP Marine; Bulk Shipping & Trading (Pvt) Ltd; Clyde & Co; Dubai Metals & Commodities Centre; Edmiston; HSBC; Lloyd's Register; Net Cruises; Nico International; Norton Rose; Reuters;Scan-Trans Chartering LLC; and Sharaf Shipping Agency LLC.

Supporters of the event include Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Dubai Shipping Agents Association; National Association of Freight Logistics; Indian National Shipowners' Association; the Nautical Institute UAE Branch and UAE National Ship Suppliers' Association.

Seatrade, the leading maritime publications, conference, exhibition and training provider, is the holder of Dubai Maritime City License 001, the first to be issued by the integrated state-of-the-art marine and maritime development being created between Dubai's Port Rashid and Dubai Drydocks in the United Arab Emirates.