IMarEST UAE Secretary wins OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MARINE EDUCATION Award

London, 25 March 2022

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) Outstanding Contribution Awards were presented in London wherein NIKEEL IDNANI, was felicitated in the ‘Contribution to marine education’ category. This honor is bestowed on an individual who has made a significant impact contributing and sustainably promoting further improvements in marine education.

Nikeel Idnani (CEng, CMarEng, FIMarEST, MBA) was invited to the prestigious IMarEST 117^th annual dinner where he was presented with a trophy and certificate of excellence by the IMarEST 119^th President Alastair Fischbacher. The Award ceremony was held in the City of London’s Guildhall – a Victorian, gothic style building built in 1440. The Black-Tie event was a rendezvous for over 500 crème de la crème global marine stakeholders across all disciplines, for an exclusive evening of networking.

Based on the nomination of a Houston member, followed by the judgement of a panel of senior IMarEST members and approved by the IMarEST Professional Affairs and Education Committee as well as the IMarEST Board of Trustees, Nikeel was recognized as the worthy winner of the award for his exceptional contribution of expertise, time and organizational skills in 2021 as Honorary Secretary of the IMarEST UAE branch based in Dubai. Considering his unparalleled contribution since September 2012, to establish the IMarEST UAE Branch as the benchmark for advanced marine education in the region, Nikeel has subsequently been re-elected annually to the role. This 52-year-old Indian marine engineer leverages on 10 years of hands-on service onboard ships culminating as a Chief Engineer and 18 years in diverse shore-based management roles and as the IMarEST representative in the Middle East, plays the quintessential role for education in the maritime industry at large. Purely on a pro-bono basis, he has single-handedly organized and compered multiple knowledge propagating events on contemporary topics of marine engineering, science & technology. Based on dependable relationships Nikeel has developed with a broad spectrum of stakeholders and their generous sponsorships, the free of cost meetings are conducted in an ambiance conducive to a candid exchange of ideas, open for attendance to marine professionals with a genuine commitment to learning. 14 such highly successful technical Seminars/Webinars were diligently hosted by Nikeel in 2020 and 2021 which were attended by 2441 delegates.

While accepting the honor Nikeel said, “It is critical we remain abreast with evolving maritime technology. At the IMarEST UAE branch we provide a valuable platform where world-leading technical intelligence of progressive companies is effectively disseminated enabling the Middle East maritime cluster achieve higher levels of maritime excellence. Winning the Marine Education award is the fuel that propels me to carry on the voluntary work for the IMarEST and offers guideposts to continue along the path of knowledge sharing and creating learning opportunities for the maritime fraternity. Thank you for recognizing my efforts”