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11th February 2016 – The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network is delighted to announce the judging panels for The International Seafarers’ Welfare Awards 2016. For the first time, there will be separate judging panels for each category.
The judges for each category are as follows:
Port of the Year– awarded to the port that has achieved the most in the provision of and access to high quality welfare services and facilities for seafarers.
Karin Orsel – CEO of MF Shipping, President of WISTA, Vice Chair of ICS – Kuba Szymanski – Secretary General of InterManager – and Andy Winbow – former Assistant Secretary-General and Director of Maritime Safety Division at the IMO.
Shipping Company of the Year– bestowed upon the shipping company or ship management company that has strived to provide the highest quality welfare services for seafarers.
Masamichi Morooka, Chairman of the ICS,  Helen Sampson – Director of Seafarers’ International Research Centre, and Jacqueline Smith, Maritime Co-ordinator at the ITF.
Seafarers’ Centre of the Year– awarded to the seafarers’ centre that has offered the highest quality welfare services for visiting seafarers. This award is sponsored by Wrist Ship Supply.
Father Bruno Ciceri, Chairman of ICMA, Â Kimberly Karlshoej, Â Head of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, andRobert Kledal, CEO of Wrist Ship Supply.
The Dr. Dierk Lindemann Welfare Personality of the Year– awarded to the individual who has, in the opinion of the judges, made an outstanding contribution to seafarers’ welfare. This award is sponsored by the International Chamber of Shipping.
Masamichi Morooka,  Rose George– author of the award winning Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry that Brings You 90% of Everything, and Per Gullestrup, Chairman of ISWAN.
Executive Director of ISWAN, Roger Harris, said: “We are honoured that eleven experts from the maritime industry could join our four panels this year. Each judge contributes specialist knowledge to their panel, as well as a firm commitment to improving the welfare of seafarers.”
The awards are an annual event organised by ISWAN and generously funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust. The event raises the profile of seafarers’ welfare internationally, and the awards aim to ensure that more companies and organisations engage in the process of improving seafarers’ welfare.
The awards are also supported by the ILO, IMO, ICS, ICMA, Crewtoo and Wrist Ship Supply.
For further information about the awards, please visit www.seafarerswelfareawards.org or contact Caitlin Vaughan at caitlin.vaughan@iswan.org.uk
