Marine industry awaits awards outcome

The Marine Industry Awards which take place tomorrow, June 29th at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway, have attracted a top-quality range of entries across the Irish marine industry.

Now in their third year, the awards are established as the premier event in Ireland for showcasing the outstanding excellence and innovation in Ireland's marine sector. The winners will be revealed at a gala awards ceremony on the night.

Speaking about the awards, Jim O’Toole, CEO of BIM says, “BIM is delighted to sponsor two awards at this year’s prestigious event: the Aquaculture Company of the Year and the Seafood Business Innovation Award. The awards represent true excellence in the Irish marine industry, and seafood is a key player in this sector contributing €1.1bn GDP to our economy and employing 11,000 people directly and indirectly throughout Ireland. The awards evening is about celebrating this vibrant and developing sector and appreciating Ireland’s finest seafood entrepreneurs and products.”

The awards have partnered again this year with SeaFest, Ireland’s national maritime festival taking place in Galway from June 29th to July 2nd. It will be a unique opportunity for people within the industry to come together and celebrate excellence and to network with hundreds of distinguished industry figures.

Liam Lacey, director, Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) says, “the IMDO is delighted to be again supporting the Marine Industry Awards this year. The awards provide an important platform for organisations from all sectors of the marine industry to receive recognition for the significant role that they play in the growth and development of the industry in Ireland, which contributes directly to the wider growth of Ireland’s economy. This year, we are delighted to be welcoming a number of international speakers and companies to Galway for the Digital Ocean Conference and Our Ocean Wealth Summit business events as part of SeaFest, who will form a key audience at this year’s awards, as we showcase the achievement, expertise, ambition and potential of Ireland’s marine industry.”

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, attended last year’s event and spoke about how important the awards are; “they are a recognition by the sector of people within the sector. There was a great variety of people recognised tonight across the state, it shows the collaboration that’s at the very heart of its reawakening and the potential that is now being realised.”

Speaking at last year’s event head of the National Maritime College of Ireland, Conor Mowlds said, “as a patron of the Marine Industry Awards it has helped redefine what the Martime College of Ireland means to the industry.”

Those attending the awards this year can expect to meet prominent figures in the marine industry from a wide range of companies and engage in a unique networking experience.

The Marine Industry Leader 2016 was awarded to Dr Dave Jackson. Speaking on the night, Dr Jackson said, “winning the award has had a very profound effect on me, I felt very honoured and I felt it didn’t just honour me but it honoured the colleagues I’ve worked with over the last 20 odd years. I think it has a lot of significance for research and development in the marine sector.”

18 categories will be celebrated on the night. The complete shortlist is as follows:

Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year
Dublin Port Company 
Shannon Foynes Port Company

Shipping Company of the Year (Sponsored by the Irish Maritime Development Office)
Atlantic Towage & Marine
BG Freight Line
Realt Na Maidne Teoranta
X-Press Feeders

Excellence in Marine Renewable Energy Award (Sponsored by SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland))
Exceedence
GKinetic Energy
Lir National Ocean Test Facility
Marine Renewables Industry Association

Seafood Sustainability Award
BIM Ireland's Seafood Development Agency
Burren Smokehouse
Gannet Fishmongers

Seafood Business Innovation Award (Sponsored by BIM) 
Atlantis Seafood
iASC Atlantic Seafood Co Ireland 
Keohane Seafoods
Silver Darlings Seafood

Aquaculture Company of the Year (Sponsored by BIM)
Abalone Connemara
Burren Smokehouse
Mulroy Bay Mussels

Marine Tourism & Leisure Operator of the Year
Cork Harbour Boat Hire
Ireland's Eye Ferries
Ocean Escapes
Realt Na Maidne Teoranta
Royal Cork Yacht Club
Sea Synergy Marine Awareness & Activity Centre
WICKLOW BOAT CHARTERS

Offshore Ireland Award (Sponsored by SEFtec Group)
INFOMAR
Woodside

Excellence in Marine Safety Award
Irish Institute of Master Mariners
SAMS Solutions - CH Marine

Excellence in Marine Research Award (Sponsored by Irish Maritime Development Office) 
MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy
MESTECH – The Water Institute, DCU
TechWorks Marine

The Digital Ocean Achievement Award
SafeTrx - 8 West Consulting
Exceedence
MESTECH – The Water Institute, DCU
TechWorks Marine

For more on past winners and the awards, see www.marineawards.ie