In September Mersey Maritime will hold its seventh annual Maritime Industry Awards and has now revealed the 39-strong shortlist with the wider sector set to vote to help determine the winners

 

Mersey Maritime has revelled the shortlist for its seventh Mersey Maritime Industry Awards (MMIA).

After an “intensive” assessment and review of the submitted entries, with expert judges from across the maritime industry and the Mersey Maritime membership, a shortlist of the 39 finalists was compiled.

A panel of 12 judges came together to agree the final list which will shortly go out to an industry wide voting platform which will help determine the ultimate winners.

The platform will go live later in July, giving local, national and international industry members the opportunity to vote for the final winners which will be announced at an awards dinner in Liverpool on Friday, September 17.

The first round of the process saw more than a hundred applicants with 55 individual companies entering which gave the judges panel no easy task in deciding who to choose from all of the submissions.

For the first time this year, the MMIA also includes two new categories, delivered in partnership with Maritime UK: Apprentice of the Year and Apprentice Employer of the Year. Each award has three finalists for the thirteen categories, with face to face interviews via Zoom also taking place for the Apprentice of the Year award.

A further award will be made for Ambassador of the Year, in recognition of the significant contribution of an individual to the maritime industry across their career. Mersey Maritime will now work with all the finalists to produce short films to bring their applications further to life and showcase their achievements.

These films will also help those voting via the industry platform make a more informed choice about who they would like to see win. The 2021 judges were: 

• Angie Redhead – city assets manager for Culture Liverpool
• Ben Murray – chief executive of Maritime UK
• Ben Ludzker – chief executive of Kays Medical         
• Bev Rice – owner of Robinson Rice Associates       
• Camilla Carlbom – chairman of Carlbom Shipping
• Charles Whitford – director North West and Regions for MTC      
• Guy Balmer – Lieutenant Colonel Deputy Naval Regional Commander / Chief of Staff for the Royal Navy
• Helen Kelly – head of communications for Nautilus International
• Howard Young – global head of channel partners for Western Union Business Solutions
• Richard Ballantyne – chief executive of the British Ports Association
• Rod Paterson – deputy director, Maritime (AMIS) for Department for Transport
• Sarah Kenny – chief executive of BMT Global and chair of Maritime UK

Chief executive of Mersey Maritime, Chris Shirling-Rooke, said: “Virtually the whole of 2020 and much of 2021 has thrown a lot at the maritime industry and indeed the entire UK economy.

“We know this year of intense pressure owing to the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on a number of businesses but, sitting at the heart of the maritime industry here in the Liverpool city region, we also know about the incredible resilience, fortitude and dynamism that has seen significant success for many.

“We were determined to celebrate everything that has been achieved across the sector. At our awards dinner, which will be held at the end of London International Shipping Week, we’ll cast a major spotlight on everything that is great about our powerhouse industry.

“These awards have the theme of ‘Build Back Better.’ As the economy recovers, we want to see the industry go from strength to strength and the very best way to help do that is to celebrate our regional strengths and the immense diversity across maritime that we have on offer.

“Mersey Maritime is incredibly grateful to our expert panel for their time and deliberations in assessing the huge number of entries we received. Next, the wider industry will decide who the ultimate winners are.

“Watch this space for more news around the launch of the industry voting platform in the coming weeks and do get involved in the process. The next few weeks will be very exciting indeed.” 

MMIA21 Finalists

Business of the Year sponsored by Peel Ports Group      

• Briggs Marine
• Denholm UK Logistics LTD
• Expleo Group

Employer of the Year sponsored by Kays Medical            

• D Morgan plc
• PD Ports 
• Royal HaskoningDHV

Engineering Company of the Year sponsored by Manufacturing Technology Centre         

• DT Engineering NW Ltd
• Expleo Group
• Walker Engineering (NW) limited

Environmental Impact Award sponsored by Wirral Waters         

• Artemis Technologies
• Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)
• Royal HaskoningDHV

Innovation Award sponsored by Royal HaskoningDHV   

• Bibby Marine
• Brookes Bell
• Peel Ports Group

International Trade Award sponsored by Western Union Business Solutions            

• Hill Dickinson LLP
• Peel Ports Group
• Road Haulage Association 

Maritime 2050 Award   

• Artemis Technologies
• Nautilus International
• University of Liverpool

Maritime Professional Services 

• Brookes Bell 
• Hill Dickinson LLP
• Meet & Potato 

Micro Business of the Year sponsored by Brookes Bell

• Fort Recruitment
• Polaris Media Management Ltd
• Real Sphere Eco World Ltd

MUK Apprentice Employer of the Year Award sponsored by VIRSEC       

• D Morgan plc
• PD Ports
• Royal Navy

MUK Apprentice of the Year Award sponsored by Royal Navy    

• Alexandra Cartmell – BAE Systems, Naval Ships, Combat Systems 
• Dylan Lindsey – DT Engineering North West 
• Tom Saunders – Marine Society and Sea Cadets  

Positive Impact Award sponsored by OPS Wind 

• Liverpool Shipwreck & Humane Society
• MAST Charity
• Supply Chain Solution Ltd

SME of the Year sponsored by Denholm              

• CWT Commodity Logistics UK Ltd
• Hughes Subsea Services Limited
• Stone Marine Shipcare Ltd

To find out more about the Mersey Maritime Industry Awards click here.