20 short-listed for second Dubai International Maritime Awards

"Response to this year's awards has been overwhelming and the geographic spread of the short-listed candidates is extremely encouraging, "said Chris Hayman, Managing Director, Seatrade, international maritime publisher and organiser of DIMA.

The awards, judged independently by a cross-global panel of industry leaders under the chairmanship of Efthimios Mitropoulos, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), cover nine categories which include four new honours this year.

"The new honours to enter the awards this year are outstanding contributions to dry bulk shipping, liner shipping, energy transport and maritime services sectors, "added Hayman.

Short-listed candidates in the 'Safety and Quality in Shipping' category are Vela International Marine, Lonestar Technical Services from the UAE and Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia.

Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, Iran and Applied Research International from India are short-listed for the 'Innovation in Shipping' category. Short-list for Port Operations are C.Steinweg Oman LLC and Karachi Port Trust, Pakistan.

Transas, Ireland is competing against First AFG, USA and Unimarine services, Greece for the Countering Marine & Atmospheric Pollution award. Three companies are in the running for the Education & Training award: Fleet Management & Training, India, Tidewater Middle East, UAE and Maritime Training Institute, Pakistan.

Short-listed candidates for the four new honours are Blue Ocean Shipping, Iran, Samsara Group, India, Simatech Shipping LLC, UAE, Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, Iran, Academy of Maritime Education & Training (AMET), India, Ports, Customs & Freezone, UAE and Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia.

The second annual awards scheme will also cover the highly anticipated Seatrade Personality of the Year for West and Central Asia, first won in 2004 by Mohammad Souri of National Iranian Tanker Company.

The awards presentation dinner, to be held at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai on December 12, will also coincide with Middle East Money & Ships 2005, a specialist two-day conference for the financial and maritime industries.

DIMA are sponsored by ABS, Charter Trade Global (LLC), Dubai Drydocks, DVB Bank, GAC, Lloyd's Register, Scan-Trans Middle East, Seatrade Academy and Vela International. The awards scheme is supported and endorsed by DP World and Dubai Maritime City.