SAFETY4SEA announced the winners of the inaugural 2022 Crew Welfare Virtual Awards on Tuesday, June 21st, recognizing industry’s tanker operators, dry bulk operators, organizations, service provides, managers and individuals that demonstrated leadership and embraced outstanding practices towards crew welfare.
The winners of the 2022 Crew Welfare Virtual Awards are:
Crew Welfare Tanker Operator Award
Winner
Prime Marine Management Inc.
For assisting seafarers and their families during the unprecedented humanitarian crises (both pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine) by providing medical and mental health support. The company, having high levels of empathy and responsibility for the seafarers’ welfare, is focused on supporting them by various means.
Mr. Dimitrios Kampadellis, Crew Manager, Prime Marine Management Inc.:
“We feel that all these efforts are owed to all of our company assets, which are the crew members. We do not believe that we were and are doing anything extraordinary, as we feel that we are just giving back a modest part of what we have been getting all these years, which is loyalty hard work and performance.”
Crew Welfare Dry Bulk Operator Award
Winner
Oldendorff Carriers
For focusing on crew welfare, giving priority to timely crew changes, supporting social life onboard by supplying free internet and investing in crew wellness and happiness, as part of its commitment to sustainability.
Mr. Harry Papadimitriou, Director of Crewing, Oldendorff Carriers:
“The last few years have been very challenging for promoting crew welfare on board. For this reason, we have had a major campaign to get our crew members vaccinated and at this point we have managed to have 98% of our crew fully being vaccinated. We have also provided all crew members with internet access, however we still encourage and support old-fashioned crew entertainment and socializing on board.”
Crew Welfare Management Award
Winner
OSM Maritime Services, Inc.
For putting ‘Financial Literacy, Health & Wellness and Family Values’ as basic pillars of its strategy to support OSM seafarers and families during the pandemic. During 2021, OSM conducted several virtual talks, engagement activities, town halls and conferences and provided support to OSM seafarers on quarantine, especially those who tested positive.
Mrs. Mailyn Borillo, Managing Director, OSM Philippines Inc.:
“In OSM we have three basic pillars for our crew and family welfare program. First is the financial literacy program, because it is not how much you earn, it is how much you save and invest. Secondly, we advocate seafarers to take care of themselves, so they can take care of others. Lastly, we offer the family values seminars because the best gift seafarers can give to their children is a good relationship with them.”
Crew Welfare Service Provider Award
Winner
WellAtSea
For its WellAtSea Program which is focused on mental resiliency, physical strength & health, and improved group dynamics and socialization. Through game play, a rewards system, and social platform, the program is currently equipped with 37 months of evidence-based content or more than 200 different engaging activities, physical exercises, and learning modules.
Ms. Gisa R. Paredes, M.A. Rpsy, Chief Operating Officer, WellAtSea:
“We have more than 450 ships with approximately 14 000 seafarers whom we are dedicated to helping. We also wish to thank our team that has tirelessly kept in good spirits for the sake of the seafarers throughout this pandemic, their dedication, enthusiasm and genuine concern for the seafarers, which has eventually positively affected the way that crew members engage with each other.”
Crew Welfare Organisation Award
Winner
ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network)
For helping numerous seafarers globally during the COVID-19 breakdown, providing humanitarian support to them and their families, through its Regional Program, SeafarerHelp, Relief Funds and Social Interaction Matters (SIM) Project.
Mr. Simon Grainge, Chief Executive, ISWAN:
“It is hard to imagine how tough life has been for seafarers in recent years, while now they are dealing with a situation in Ukraine. However, ISWAN’s work is far from finished; we will continue to provide seafarers with support through our helplines and crisis funds, as well as through our advocacy and campaigns for as long as they need it, because without them the world supply chains will collapse.”
Crew Welfare Diversity & Inclusion Award
Winner
Maritime SheEO
For providing a platform that promotes the next generation of female maritime leaders. Recently, Maritime SheEO in collaboration with IMO & WISTA launched the Maritime SheEO Leadership Accelerator Programme to provide management knowledge and skills to empower women in the maritime industry.
Mrs. Sanjam Gupta, Founder, Maritime SheEO:
“Maritime SheEO started with a dream to drive equality within the maritime industry. It started as a small initiative in 2019, and it has grown with the hard work and efforts of our team. Today, the only thing that separates women from reaching leadership positions is opportunity. We all need to champion diversity, and we promise we will continue to do so in the coming years. Diversity is what makes our industry special.”
Crew Welfare Personality Award
Winner
Doris Magsaysay-Ho, President and CEO, Magsaysay Group of Companies
For promoting and enhancing crew welfare, setting ‘We Care’ as a core corporate value. In that regard, Magsaysay Group puts its people as key priority offering to them various programs and initiatives to empower, address societal challenges, and promote sustainable well-being.
Ms. Doris Magsaysay-Ho, President and CEO, Magsaysay Group of Companies:
“The pandemic has given the shipping industry a rare opportunity to think about what is truly important in our lives. It has also made us realize that without seafarers, mankind would not have food, medicine, and the basic necessities we need in our daily lives. All of us must rethink how we support the crew health and wellness, in order for the pre-employment medical to become a positive annual exam to help seafarers become healthy, rather than something to fear and worry about.”
Crew Welfare Leadership Award
Winner
Gerardo A. Borromeo, Vice-Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, PTC Holdings Corporation
For his invaluable contribution to the Philippine maritime industry. Mr. Borromeo has been responsible for the development and implementation of the PTC Group’s strategic initiatives and business interests and has also demonstrated innovative leadership, taking the helm of the board of key industry’s associations throughout his career.
Mr. Gerardo A. Borromeo, Vice-Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, PTC Holdings Corporation:
“Over the last 18 years I have come to truly appreciate the important role that shipping plays in facilitating global trade; a perspective that is not always visible to the general public. However, equally significant is the responsibility of global maritime professionals to ensure that shipping achieves its objectives. These two considerations are what have driven me over the years to encourage greater engagement across all stakeholders of our industry.”
About Crew Welfare Awards
Crew Welfare Awards are part of the Crew Welfare Week within the scope of fostering Crew Wellbeing & Sustainable Shipping. The process to be employed is a combination of open nomination and vote from audience and the industry panel of experts.. The award categories are:
Crew Welfare Tanker Operator Award
To be awarded to any ship operator of oil or chemical tankers, or gas carriers that demonstrated Initiative, Best Practices and Excellence and in any aspect of crew welfare
Crew Welfare Dry Bulk Operator Award
To be awarded to any ship operator of bulk carriers, or general dry cargo vessels that demonstrated Initiative, Best Practices and Excellence in any aspect of crew welfare
Crew Welfare Management Award
To be awarded to crew management company that demonstrated Initiative, Best Practices and Excellence and in any aspect of crew welfare
Crew Welfare Service Provider Award
To be awarded to any Service provider that delivered service which contributes towards improving crew welfare
Crew Welfare Organisation Award
To be awarded to any organization or association that planned, promoted and delivered any program fostering crew welfare with tangible results
Crew Welfare Diversity & Inclusion Award
To be awarded to any organization that planned/delivered a program or promoted in any way the Diversity & Inclusion agenda
Crew Welfare Personality Award
To be awarded to a Personality that provided industry influence and contributed towards moving the crew welfare agenda forward with tangible results
Crew Welfare Leadership Award
To be awarded to an Industry Figure that has provided leadership by steering their organization and/or the industry towards crew welfare excellence
Notification procedure is initiated few months ahead of the event with an open invitation to the industry stakeholders to propose nominations online via relevant form at dedicated awards page. Shortlisted nominees are announced within a week after nomination submission is concluded and open vote to declare the winner of each category is available for a period of three months through relevant application at dedicated awards page. Winners are announced at the award ceremony, during the Crew Welfare Week.