Maritime excellence at Industry Awards Ceremony in Dubai

Individuals, organisations and companies from across the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent maritime and shipping industry were honoured at the annual Seatrade Maritime Awards in Dubai Monday 27 October, a part of Dubai Maritime Week. Hosted
by international journalist and broadcaster Mishal Husain and now in its eleventh year, the Seatrade awards is widely recognised as the region's premier maritime awards programme. The presentation ceremony, which took place at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, in front of more than 850 guests, was a celebration to recognise excellence in all areas of maritime activity right across the Middle East and beyond.

The awards programme has been reformatted for 2014 with new award categories, a new judging panel and a revamped format, with Seatrade Maritime Awards winners chosen by an independent panel of judges based on a predetermined set of transparent criteria. “This evening's awards ceremony has attracted hundreds of key industry professionals covering the entire spectrum of the maritime and shipping industry in the Middle East, Africa and India. It certainly echoes the confident and optimistic mood of this vital industry sector,” remarked Chris Hayman, Chairman, Seatrade. The Seatrade Personality of the Year award for 2014, was presented to Admiral Mohab Mohammed Hussein Mameesh, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority.

 “After a distinguished naval career, Admiral Mameesh took up his present position in 2012 and has since overseen the raising of $9 billion from Egyptian investors to fund a second channel parallel to the existing one that will be 72 kilometres in length. Together with deepening of the existing channel, this will reduce the time needed to transit the Suez Canal, from nearly 20 hours to 11 hours, allowing the number of daily transits to rise from less than 50 today to nearly 100,” added Hayman.