Guy Platten
NAMEPA’s 2020 Marine Environment Protection Awards
Innovative and Extraordinary Efforts to Preserving the Marine Environment
November 11, 2020––The prestigious NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association) Marine Environment Protection Awards for 2020 were presented on Thursday, Nov. 5 to senior leadership of the Award recipients. Winners included MSC Cruises, Port Everglades, the International Chamber of Shipping for its Seafarer Welfare work, Matson for Environmental Innovation, Ocean Ventures Institute, SEA Education, the US Arctic Research Commission and Liz Burdock of The Business Network for Offshore Wind.
NAMEPA’s Marine Environment Protection Awards are given in recognition of an individual or organization’s innovative and extraordinary effort to commit themselves to preserving the marine environment as exemplified by a commitment to programs which have specific objectives set for environmental performance and improvement. The categories were Non-Profit, Education, Environmental, Government Agency, Individual, Industry, Port, and Seafarer Welfare.
“Seafarers have really been the heroes of global trade,” said Guy Platten, receiving the Award for Seafarer Welfare on the behalf of the International Chamber of Shipping.
The award recipients spoke on making tangible strides in meeting sustainable goals and protecting the marine environment, from creating innovative technology to implementing forward-thinking reductions to extraordinary efforts to reduce plastic and offshore waste.
“Ocean clean-up is really hard work that is made possible thanks to the crew,” said Mary Crowley, Founder of Ocean Voyages Institute and winner of the Non-Profit Award. “It’s joyful work once you remove trash that isn’t supposed to be there––you realize how valuable this work is.”
Liz Burdock of The Business Network for Offshore Wind and winner of the Individual Award stated that creating a new, cleaner and more sustainable industry can be incredibly frustrating but also rewarding. Thursday’s recipients echoed that sentiment as they stated that though challenges lie ahead for the industry, they can meet them if they were willing to be open to innovation and collaboration.
“We can do well and do good at the same time,” Burdock said upon receiving her award.
“We are so proud of the work that our recipients are doing and the incredible things they have accomplished,” stated Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and Executive Director of NAMEPA. “The marine industry works tirelessly to deliver more than 90% of the world’s goods and energy safely and with a keen eye to reducing its environmental impact. It is NAMEPA’s mission to provide a forum for this discussion and an honor to highlight their efforts, along with community partners who share our values to “Save our Seas”.
The award winners each will receive framed certificates and a desk trophy.
The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) was officially launched in 2007. NAMEPA is a marine industry-led organization of environmental stewards preserving the marine environment by promoting sustainable marine industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. For more information, go to www.namepa.net.
