More than 550 guests gather at Liverpool Cathedral to see the winners of the 9th Mersey Maritime Industry Awards revealed. Tony McDonough reports

Mersey Maritime has revealed the winners of its annual Industry Awards in front of more than 550 guests from Merseyside and across the UK at Liverpool Cathedral.

Now in their 9th year, the Mersey Maritime Industry Awards seek to recognise outstanding achievements and innovations in the maritime industry. The sector is worth almost £120bn every year to the UK, more than £5bn in Liverpool city region alone.

Organisers of the awards say there was an “overwhelming response”, with more than 100 individual applications submitted on behalf of over 50 diverse businesses and organisations.

These submissions represented multiple sub-sectors within the maritime industry. The judging process, which included expert assessment and an industry-wide vote, saw a record-breaking 2,500 votes cast.

This year, Wirral-born Sam Quek, Olympic hockey gold medallist and TV presenter, assumed the role of host for the evening.

A key highlight of the evening was the keynote address delivered by Katherine Fairclough, chief executive of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

She emphasised the pivotal role of the maritime industry in driving growth and investment within Liverpool city region. Her insights and vision for the future underscored the critical importance of the sector in the region’s economic development and global standing.

Stone Marine Shipcare was the winner of the Business of the Year Award. It was founded in 1946 and has a rich history of providing marine services in Liverpool city region and beyond.

Sir Michael Bibby received the Maritime Ambassador Award for his outstanding contribution to the maritime industry over the course of his career.

Sir Michael has been a prominent and influential leader in the sector, serving as the former chief executive of Bibby Line Group, one of the oldest family maritime companies in the region.

Diamond sponsors for the event were Kays Medical, Liverpool John Moores University, and Peel Ports Group, alongside other category sponsors. 

As part of the proceedings, those attending were invited to support Mersey Maritime’s chosen charity for 2023, The Hive, which is based in Wirral.

The Hive Youth Zone in Birkenhead is a centre for young people within an area, where one in three children live in poverty. It exists to help young people feel happy, healthy and to thrive within their community. On the night £33,000 was raised to support its work.

Mersey Maritime chief executive Ruth Wood said: “These awards are a testament to the exceptional standards and world-class expertise on display within Liverpool city region’s maritime community.

“Mersey Maritime was established to create an ecosystem that champions one of the most diverse maritime regions globally.

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“We are honoured to have played a role in fostering a thriving and internationally significant maritime cluster, built on collaboration and excellence.”

Also speaking at the awards was Maritime Minister, Baroness Vere. She said: “For more than two decades, Mersey Maritime has championed the world-class businesses and organisations across the North West’s thriving maritime sector.”

Full list of winners:

• Business of the Year, sponsored by Maersk: Stone Marine Shipcare
• Diversity Champion Award, sponsored by Peel Ports Group: Maersk
• Commitment to Maritime in LCR Award: Brian Melia – Cruise Liverpool
• Employer of the Year, sponsored by Kays Medical: National Oceanography Centre
• Future Skills Award, sponsored by Nautilus International: Cammell Laird Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders
• International Trade Award, sponsored by Brookes Bell: Royal HaskoningDHV
• Maritime Professional Services Award, sponsored by BAE Systems: Hill Dickinson
• Net Zero Award, sponsored by Liverpool John Moores University: Svitzer
• Positive Impact Award, sponsored by Cammell Laird: Battle of the Atlantic Memorial
• Rising Star Award, sponsored by Royal Navy: Leah Rogers – Thetius
• SME of The Year, sponsored by Denholm Logistics: The SeaKing Group
• Technology & Innovation Award, sponsored by MTC: Brookes Bell