This award recognises Micro, Small and Medium-sized professional enterprises that have provided an outstanding and comprehensive service to the maritime sector within the award year.

Organizations that should enter include, but are not limited to, Accounting and Auditing firms, Law firms, Food and Catering firms,HSE Consultants, Ship Management, Banking, Technical, Communications, IT Specialists, amongst others.

This award recognizes the achievements of a shipping company that has been through a significant process of change and improvement, and whose activities have had a particularly significant effect on the sector and whose commitment to quality safety and quality service delivery record sets them apart.

Areas of assessment include, unique initiatives made but not limited to employee support programs and wellbeing, adherence to regulations, evidence of a quality safety performance record, examples of best practice or industry-leading programs within the last 12 months, strong commitment to community welfare or creativity and innovation in the use of CSR initiatives in the sector.

This award recognizes the ship owner or operator that has demonstrated the most exceptional level of performance during the year. This will be assessed against a range of criteria including: commitment to customer service and efficiency; investments in vessels and shipping related services; expansion of service networks; financial performance; and social and environmental performance with an evidence of a good health and safety record and exceptional use of CSR initiatives in the industry.

This award will be presented to a company that has led the way in environmentally responsible shipping, with a new product, project or initiative that has significantly improved the protection of the environment. Particular consideration will be given to companies that can demonstrate important initiatives that will accelerate shipping’s journey to carbon neutrality.This category is also open to those companies that have introduced more environmentally sustainable ways of working, or which have carried out specific projects to protect, or repair parts of the natural environment damaged by, or at risk from shipping activity.

Innovation is vital to success in the shipping business and this award recognizes a project, product or process that is demonstrably new and innovative, and which has contributed positively to an organization and/or the industry generally. Judges will be looking for evidence to show that the project, product or process being put forward is genuinely different, raises the bar and helps put users ahead of competitors. The judges will take into account its uniqueness, the concept behind it and its delivery and execution. The award is open to all companies that supply the shipping industry with technological solutions, including IT related systems, as well as shipping companies that have developed technology in-house.

This category recognizes maritime training providers approved by relevant authorities with stand-out programs, created or run to develop skills and ensuring compliance with industry best practice and global regulation.These encompass awareness initiatives or syllabus that have notably improved best practices or attitude in port, onboard the ships and related vessels.

This category recognizes maritime associations providing leadership and enabling environment to protect the interests of its members interfacing with the government, regulators, and other maritime stakeholders.

This award recognizes ship managers or shipping agents, including ship owners’ representatives handling ship registrations and/or transactions in government agencies, ports and dockyards –whose commitment to the industry sets them apart from industry rivals.

Areas of assessment include vessel management, quality and safety, support services and adherence to maritime regulations as well as evidence of excellent services rendered to the shipping companies in recent years.

This award recognizes a crew that has consistently put safety and security first and helped inspire others to adhere to best practice or have gone above and beyond the call of duty in this regard.

Entries could outline participation in a rescue, timely intervention to avoid catastrophe, or an innovative approach to ship safety or efficient ship operations.

This award will single out a team of seafarers whose actions are a leading example of courage, quick-thinking, and/or being safety and security savvy.

The pandemic has created a unique set of challenges for maritime companies’relationships with their employees, stakeholders, and with the communities theyoperate in. This award will recognize an outstanding example of a corporate response to one or more of these challenges.

This award recognizes an insurance company offering exceptionally tailored services to the maritime sector that has demonstrated exemplary professionalism and skill in representing clients and contributing to the development of maritime insurance. This will be determined through an assessment of a range of criteria, including: commitment to customer service; the range of marine insurance products offered and new marine insurance initiatives among others including timely deliverables.

This award recognizes the Classification Society which has made the biggest contribution within the award year. This will be assessed against a number of criteria including: commitment to customer service and efficiency; network outreach; new ship designs generated; new products launched; and size of classed fleet in the region.

This award recognizes an operator of a container, general cargo or specialist terminal that has demonstrated consistently high levels of performance, commercial success and has also shown a commitment to invest and expand. This will be determined through an assessment of a range of criteria, including: customer service and efficiency; investments in infrastructure and equipment; productivity levels; significant business wins; commercial performance; and improvements in safety and environmental awareness.

This award recognizes the manning agents in the maritime sector – including ship representatives handling vessel crewing and offshore recruitment – whose commitment to safety and excellent working practices sets them apart from industry rivals. Areas of assessment include crew management, crew support training, employment and wellbeing initiatives, adherence to regulations, evidence of identifying talents and competent crew with best practice and / or industry-leading safety programs.

This category recognizes a standout wellbeing program or campaign that has helped protect a crew’s physical or mental healthor raised awareness of important issues affecting the wellbeing and, ultimately, the safety of crew in the industry. Examplescould include mental health support, physical health initiatives, anti-bullying and harassment campaigns, or seafarer family support.

Clearing and Forwarding agents are a critical component in the wheel that drives business at the port. They handle the custom declarations, port documentation, licensing and financials. The award recognizes the clearing and forwarding agent that looks out for its customers as a “one stop shop” and offers value by getting them the most efficient services.

All registered clearing and forwarding companies can be nominated in this category.

The judging criteria includes a customer satisfaction study index, key projects and unique initiatives, compliance with regulatory requirements, customers’ focus, innovation among others.

Judges will be looking for clear information backed by facts that responds appropriately to the requirements listed above.

This award recognizes the Warehousing Company that has demonstrated the most efficient service delivery and attained best practice status in the reception, storage and safety of cargo as evidenced from its facilities, service quality and processes.

Judges will be looking for the operator whose performance speaks for itself and has a proven track record on delivering beyond expectations. It may be a company that has remained strong and/or demonstrated a unique resilience to market difficulties through best of class strategy. The winning Warehouse Company will have to demonstrate in its entry submission that, during the period under review, it maintained high class operational efficiency and consistent performance.

This award is for outstanding organizations providing services in the Oil & Gas industry with verifiable track records in advancing the maritime sector via various unique ways which could include technology, installation, construction, maintenance, etc.

The organization must also have a good safety record to be considered.

Please note any organization with violation to safety or poor safety records will not be considered even after nomination.

This award is for organizations with impressive track record in ship building, repairs and maintenance in Nigeria, with outstanding safety records and verifiable safety programs.

 This award recognizes companies/organizations that provides transportation or operate logistics related facilities, which includes warehousing and free zone facilities to the maritime and offshore sector. 

Judges will be looking for innovation in providing a range of transportation and logistic services and a commitment to meeting the needs of customers in terms of safety, efficiency, reliability and flexible solutions.

The award recognizes a company with the best innovation in organizing shipments for corporate organizations or an individual whose commitment to safety and quality service delivery sets them apart.

The award recognizes a company with the best digital innovation in organizing shipments for corporate organizations or individuals whose commitment to safety and quality service delivery records sets them apart.

Area of accessment includes, clients testimonies, impact in the industry and how their technology has solved challenges in the industry.