News: Maritime UK launch inaugural national awards programme

  • The Maritime UK Awards will be the first truly national maritime awards in the UK, organised by industry, for the benefit of industry
  • In a unique twist, the awards evenings will be held in a different UK maritime region each year
  • Harry Theochari, Chair Maritime UK, said: "We are delighted to hold the inaugural awards in Southampton during the city’s international boat show, Britain’s biggest festival of boating”

A brand-new, national awards programme celebrating the UK’s £37.4bn maritime sector is set to be launched today by Maritime UK.

The Maritime UK Awards will be the first truly national maritime awards in the UK, organised by industry, for the benefit of industry. They will be open to companies from across the breadth of the maritime sector, including shipping, ports, services, engineering, and leisure marine industries.

In a unique twist, the awards evenings will be held in a different UK maritime region each year. The first awards ceremony will take place in the Solent, where the maritime industry represents a significant 20 per cent of the economy, supports 120,000 jobs and facilitates trade worth £77.5bn.

Harry Theochari, Maritime UK Chair, said:

“We are excited about this inaugural event that will not only shine a spotlight on the most exciting and dynamic activity across our sector, but will also champion each of our great maritime regions by rotating each year.

“We are delighted to hold the inaugural awards in Southampton during the city’s boat show, Britain’s biggest festival of boating.

The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), who are the key partnership body behind developing a Solent Maritime cluster with Maritime UK, is organising the event on 19 September.

“Rotating these national Maritime Awards offers those involved in this domain the opportunity to network beyond more traditional geographical and industry sectors, and at the same time supports the maritime economy and its coastal communities on a wider basis. Showcasing the regions and the subsequent cross-sector networking can only strengthen the maritime world further and gives us an opportunity to celebrate all that is good about it.”

The awards, set to be launched today at Maritime UK’s National Council meeting in London, are open to businesses and organisations of all sizes. The categories mirror themes in the Government’s recently-published strategy for the sector, Maritime 2050. They are:

  • Diversity Award
  • Innovation Award
  • Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Award
  • Sustainability Award
  • Coastal Powerhouse Award
  • International Trade Award
  • Employer of the Year Award
  • Start-up of the Year Award
  • Future Skills Award
  • Rising Star Award
  • Business of the Year Award
  • 2050 Award

The Maritime UK Awards will be judged by a panel of internationally recognised maritime leaders, who will be profiled over the coming weeks.

Every element of the Maritime UK Awards is about bringing the industry together, with any profit generated from the awards ploughed back into Maritime UK’s cross-sector initiatives like careers, trade promotion and the Women in Maritime programme.

Anne-Marie Mountifield, Chief Executive at the Solent LEP and serves on the Maritime UK National Council, said:

“It is such an honour for the Solent region to hold the very first Maritime UK Awards. It illustrates what a strong sector this is for the Solent and how well regarded it is both nationally and internationally."

To find out about the awards, which take place at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour on 19 September, and how to enter visit: www.maritimeuk.org/awards


Notes to editors

About the Maritime UK Awards

  • The Maritime UK Awards are the first truly national maritime awards in the UK, organised by industry, for the benefit of industry
  • The awards ceremony will take place in a different region every year, with the first taking place in Southampton on September 19, alongside the Southampton Boat Show
  • Entries for the 2019 awards close on 13 June

To find out more or to enter visit www.maritimeuk.org/awards

About Maritime UK

  • Maritime UK brings together the UK’s shipping, ports, services, engineering and leisure marine industries to drive growth by promoting the sector, influencing government and fostering collaboration.
  • Supporting just under 1 million jobs and adding £37.4bn to our economy, maritime is responsible for facilitating 95% of UK global trade.

Awards website