Stellamar announced as Diamond Sponsor for Maritime UK Awards

Maritime UK has announced Stellamar as Diamond Sponsor for the first Maritime UK Awards. The brand-new awards programme recognises the very best of the UK’s maritime sector.

The company, which specialises in employment solutions for the maritime sector, says the move is part of its bid to help forge new standards for employment in the industry and ultimately address the skills gap.

The Maritime UK Awards will be the first truly national maritime awards in the UK, organised by industry, for the benefit of industry. The inaugural event will take place in Southampton on September 19, following a bid by the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for the first awards ceremony to be hosted in the region.

Stellamar is sponsoring the Employer of the Year category, one that managing director Alasdair MacMillan says is important in driving standards forward.

“Given the critical nature of the skills shortage within the UK maritime sector, and with the war for talent growing, being seen as an employer who goes the extra mile will be key to attracting talent that will ultimately help businesses to grow,” he says.

“It’s for this reason we see this particular award as perhaps one of the most important of the night. By recognising employers who raise the bar we’re encouraging others to follow suit and pushing standards across the whole industry.”

Stellamar, headquartered in Southampton, has been working closely with Maritime UK and other industry bodies to address the marine and maritime skills gap over recent years. Alasdair added: “We have watched Maritime UK’s influence grow exponentially over the last few years and share a desire to push the UK maritime agenda. We’re looking forward to meeting other businesses within the industry through the Awards and driving these discussions.”

Ben Murray, Director at Maritime UK, said: “We’re thrilled to have Stellamar on board for the first ever Maritime UK Awards. As Alasdair says, awards help to share best practice and drive standards even higher across the industry. Stellamar’s support is helping to make that happen.”

Kevin George, a Director at the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is organising the 2019 awards, added: “We’re excited that the inaugural awards will take place in the Solent region and it simply wouldn’t be happening without the input from businesses like Stellamar.

Kevin, who is also the Chair of the Board for Red Funnel, the Isle of Wight ferry operator continued: "We’re extremely grateful to the company for its support. It’ll help us shine a spotlight on the Solent’s maritime sector, which plays a key role in supporting the UK economy.”

Entries are already coming in thick and fast for the Maritime UK Awards, which are open to companies from across the breadth of the maritime sector including its shipping, ports, services, engineering, and leisure marine industries.

To find out about the awards, which take place at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour, the categories, and how to enter visit www.maritimeuk.org/awards

To find out more about Stellamar visit: www.stellamar.co.uk