Container Line of the Year

This award recognizes the best containership operator or owner in the industry that has demonstrated the best in bold successful performance in the last twelve months.

The award is open to owners and operators that can demonstrate industry leadership and excellence despite the market conditions.

Amongst other things the awarding board will be looking for insight into exceptional performance in operational matter such as safety, efficiency and reliability, but also examples that demonstrate leadership through business excellence, profitability and market.

International Express Operator of the Year

This is dedicated companies or courier service related companies involved in international shipping and courier delivery with wide range of express parcel and package service

Break Bulk Operator of the Year

Open to all operators of vessels that carry multi-purpose or break bulk cargo, all port operators that handle break bulk and general cargo, all customs brokers and freight forwarders involved in the clearance and logistics of handling break bulk and general cargo, and all other service providers such as insurers, lawyers or ship agents involved with break bulk and general cargo. This award recognizes excellence in any aspect of importing, exporting, clearing, forwarding, or any other aspect of physical handling or of providing any service in the sub-sector of break bulk and general cargoes in the Oceania region. As a guide “break bulk and general cargo” here means those cargoes that require extra-careful handling but are not commodity bulk cargoes (e.g. grain) or do not normally fit inside a shipping container. Examples include, but are not limited to, heavy axles for mining trucks, machinery, wind turbines, accommodation blocks and pipes. For very large, very heavy lift cargoes such as e.g. other ships, massive modules for power plant, nominees should submit their application under our “Project Cargo: Heavy Lift” category.

Air freight Solutions Provider of the Year

This category is open to all freight forwarding organisations with specialism in air freight, or specialist air freight departments within freight forwarding organisations. What we are looking for is demonstrable expertise and high performance in this area, a drive for innovation, customer centricity continuous improvement and importantly, results for both the customer and you.

Sea Freight Solutions Provider of the Year

This category is open to all freight forwarding organisations with specialism in sea freight, or specialist air freight departments within freight forwarding organisations. What we are looking for is demonstrable expertise and high performance in this area, a drive for innovation, customer centricity continuous improvement and importantly, results for both the customer and you. Entrants should indicate how you have adapted your business or services to exploit new opportunities in the sea freight market, or to exceed customers’ needs? What benefit has this had on turnover, bottom line and customer satisfaction?

Project / Heavy lift Forwarder the Year

Open to all operators of vessels that carry super-heavy lift cargoes, all port operators that handle super-heavy lift cargoes, all customs brokers and freight forwarders involved in the clearance and logistics of handling super-heavy lift cargoes, and all other service providers such as insurers, lawyers or ship agents involved with super-heavy lift cargoes. This award recognizes excellence in any aspect of importing, exporting, clearing, forwarding, or any other aspect of physical handling or of providing any service in the sub-sector of super-heavy lift cargoes in the Oceania region. As a guide “super-heavy lift cargoes” here means those cargoes that are not commodity bulk cargoes (e.g. grain) or which are far more heavy, massive and complex to handle than even the larger break bulk cargoes such as wind turbines. Examples could include, but are not limited to, modules for large plant such as power or LNG plant, semi-submersible vessels for moving ships, other ships, giant ship-to-shore cranes, oil refinery components, modules for giant bridges – and so on. For the smaller break bulk cargoes such as e.g. wind turbines, machinery accommodation blocks, nominees should submit their applications under the “Excellence in break bulk project cargo transport & handling” category.

Road Haulier of the Year

The winner of this category will be a company that has shone brightly throughout the year, and has been able to demonstrate first class performance whether operationally or financially.

Judges are looking for the operator, whether in gas, crude, product or chemical trades, that has led the way by demonstrating a level of excellence that goes well beyond the norm.

Submissions may be from companies that have shown a unique and different approach to the sector, have shown leadership in sustainability or business performance or have shown the strength to bring change in the industry.

Air Cargo Carrier of the Year

This award is open to any airline into carriage of goods and cargo within and out of Ghana. In the last 12 months, you must have expanded or secured new export markets in the field of aviation related products or services.

Companies engaged in the airfreight are considered. The award recognizes safe, reliable and competitively-priced services to customers and businesses in the industry with a growing fleet and well-maintained facilities. The Board will base their decisions on what your company has done to support cargo transportation. It is essential that your application highlights your key strengths strategies and achievements.

Life Time Achievement Award

This award recognises an individual that has, over the course of his or her career, contributed to the well-being of the industry in a profound way. The Lloyd’s Loading List editorial panel welcomes submissions on behalf of candidates for this award, however nominations will also be put forward by the senior editorial team and the panel of judges.

Shipping line Operator of the Year

Judging will be based on;

• Customer service innovation
• Business profitability
• Schedule reliability
• Network and service development
• Commitment to the environment
• Provision of crew welfare
• Fleet utilization, volumes in metric

Overall Shipping Company of the Year (Selected from among all nominees. You cannot enter into this category)

Domestic Courier Service Provider of the Year

This is dedicated companies or courier service related companies involved in local shipping and courier delivery with wide range of express parcel and package service

Freight Forwarder of the Year

This award is for companies displaying excellence in freight forwarding, in terms of service and efficiency in sea, air, road or rail freight.

Customer Service Award

This award recognises the standard of customer service offered by individual shipping lines, or their agent, as seen by their customers. To win this award a business must excel in providing the highest level of customer experience via their involvement in communications, problem solving and innovation.

Excellence in HSEQ Award

This award will be made to the company responsible for introducing effective safety measures producing demonstrable improvements in occupational health and safety or risk reduction. This may involve either the movement of freight or by any mode carrying freight.

Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility

Judging Criteria as follows

• Commitment to employee and community welfare
• Giving back to society via staff volunteering schemes
• Global spread of CSR commitment
• Fund raising or charity programmes to help society

Promising Forwarding company of the Year

An award for a company within 5 years of working in any freight forwarding sector deemed to have made special contributions to his or her sector during the past twelve months.

Promising Shipping company of the Year

An award for a company within 5 years of working in any sector of the Ghanaian shipping industry deemed to have made special contribution to his or her industry during the past twelve months.

Young Freight Forwarder of the Year

An award for a person / professional under the age of 35 working in any sector of Ghanaian maritime or transport industry deemed to have made special contribution to his or her industry during the past twelve months.

Terminal / Port of the Year

This award recognises excellence in both specific port/terminal development projects, technical innovation, overall management achievements and commercial successes.

Environmental Sustainability Awards

The award may be given for practical examples of initiatives which environmentally enhance operating procedures; for management and monitoring systems which measure targets in environmental goals or for general environmental initiatives either in the community or with other industry stakeholders.

Marine Service Provider of the Year

For exceptional achievement or contribution to any service sector of the Ghanaian maritime industry by a company, individual or organisation. Open to agents, brokers, classification societies, legal practitioners, finance providers, telecommunications or IT suppliers, security services, training and education companies or institutions.

Excellence in Innovation and Technology

A firm must showcase smart new products or services which approach the everyday in new ways, enhance performance, decrease costs, or spearhead that big change that no one even thought they needed until it was made. 1. The entry must detail a product or service or business process that shows genuine innovation. 2. Related to any part of a company’s offering, the innovation must demonstrate concrete benefits to the company, its customers or suppliers. 3. The entry for this award must demonstrate the impact the new innovation has had upon the business: Did productivity increase? Did revenues or profitability increase? Did the product set a new internal or industry standard?

CEO of the Year

For a CEO to be nominated, he or she needs to have consistently demonstrated clarity of vision, judgment and motivational skills that transform and empower his/her organization. The winner will be a leader who is highly respected by both peers and competitors, admired and followed by employees, trusted by investors and welcomed by the community This award is for recognition of courage, dedication, ethics and the ability to bring about real change for the better at a company level, in the industry as a whole and in the lives of employees

RoRo Service Provider of the Year

This award goes to companies who provide Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) services. These companies operate vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle, such as a self-propelled modular transporter.

Maritime Institution of the Year

Judging Criteria is as follows

• Investment in new facilities and courses
• Average experience per lecturer / teacher
• Growth in number of graduates
• Innovation in teaching techniques
• Ease of access to learning and training materials
• Update of educational materials to keep up with market changes

Brand of the Year

This is mostly based on brand extension, innovation, marketing campaigns, Customer satisfaction with consistent patronage

Special Recognition Awards

Dry Bulk Operator of the Year

Open to all operators of vessels and port that carry and handle dry bulk cargo, all port operators that handle dry bulk cargo, all customs brokers and freight forwarders involved in the clearance and logistics of handling dry bulk cargo, and all other service providers such as haulers or ship agents involved with dry bulk cargo. This award recognizes excellence in any aspect of importing, exporting, clearing, forwarding, or any other aspect of physical handling or of providing any service in the sub-sector of dry bulk cargoes in the shipping industry.

Liquid Bulk Operator of the Year

Open to all operators of vessels and port that carry and handle liquid bulk cargo, all port operators that handle liquid bulk cargo, all customs brokers and freight forwarders involved in the clearance and logistics of handling liquid bulk cargo, and all other service providers such as haulers or ship agents involved with liquid bulk cargo. This award recognizes excellence in any aspect of importing, exporting, clearing, forwarding, or any other aspect of physical handling or of providing any service in the sub- sector of liquid bulk cargoes in the shipping industry.

Marine Insurer of the Year

This award seeks to honor the professional institution which has provided security during and demonstrated that unlimited-recourse in providing complex coverage for clients including Shipping, storage, power plants, transportation and general shipping and marine projects. The company must have offered advice that averts common accidents, shipping or marine risk management and introduced policies tailored to curtail and suit clients operations in the shipping and maritime sector.

Logistics Service Provider of the Year

The company for this award should have provided the following services;

• Secure Warehousing and Distribution
• Exclusive Storage Areas & Import Packing
• Import Compliance and Customs Clearance
• Charter Services for Sea or Heavy Haul Moves
• Logistics Plans and Site Surveys
• Marine Services and Infrastructure Construction
• Line Item Tracking & Reporting with Full Web Visibility

The company must have dedicated team of logistics professionals studying the shipping logistics requirements; providing customers with experienced professionals that offer service to manage the challenges for any shipping logistics need. Remote locations, heavy or oversized equipment, safety and security requirements are just a few of the challenges facing the shipping logistics industry. Critical transport space requirements or transit times to impact project schedules are considerable.

Shipping Financial Service Provider of the Year

This award belongs to the company which has been providing financial solutions, advice, corporate and investment support to clients. The company that provides funding for huge projects in the shipping industry considering providing a long-term loan stands tall in this category. The professionals that offer tailor-made funds to finance goods clearing and forwarding, construction and operation, building on its expertise in Investing in the shipping and maritime markets is sought after.

The company for this award should have provided the following services;

• Secure Warehousing and Distribution
• Exclusive Storage Areas & Import Packing
• Import Compliance and Customs Clearance
• Charter Services for Sea or Heavy Haul Moves
• Logistics Plans and Site Surveys
• Marine Services and Infrastructure Construction
• Line Item Tracking & Reporting with Full Web Visibility

The company must have dedicated team of logistics professionals studying the shipping logistics requirements; providing customers with experienced professionals that offer service to manage the challenges for any shipping logistics need. Remote locations, heavy or oversized equipment, safety and security requirements are just a few of the challenges facing the shipping logistics industry. Critical transport space requirements or transit times to impact project schedules are considerable.

Consultancy Service Provider of the Year

The Corporate Consultancy of the Year Award recognizes third party business consultancy services provided to shipping and maritime sectors within Ghana Eligible service providers can include, but are not limited to, commodity value fore- casting, M&A advice, strategy, tax planning and corporate compliance consultancies operating directly with clients within the shipping and maritime industry. It also includes business process consultants, environmental consultancies, HSE training and development firms and engineering or risk and certification consultancies.

Reporter of the Year

Journalism has the ability to bring issues to the attention of its audience and effect positive change. This award recognises stories that, as a result of their coverage, have made a sustainable impact in one or more of the following areas: reaction within the shipping industry; increased public awareness and tangible changes in behaviour or policy.

The Anas Aremeyaw Anas Transparency Award

The award is given to an organization or institution implementing innovative initiatives that promotes transparency and accountability in the Shipping industry. The award winner must be seen as an inspiration to the anti-corruption movement because their actions echo a common message; corruption can be challenged

Terminal Operator of the Year

Ghana is home to some of the most efficient, innovative and fast growing terminal operators anywhere in the world. This award will be presented to an operator of a container, general cargo or specialist terminal who has demonstrated consistently high levels of performance, commercial success and has also shown a commitment to invest and expand. This will be determined through an assessment of a range of criteria, including: customer service and efficiency; investments in infrastructure and equipment; productivity levels; significant business wins; commercial performance; and improvements in safety and environmental awareness.

Port of the Year

The Port of the Year award will go to a port which, in the opinion of the judges, has made the biggest contribution to the development of port infrastructure in the country. Judges will assess the rationale behind development projects, the investment involved; the project delivery, and any innovative features or aspects of the project. The impact of the project on the wider economy will also be taken into account.

Trade Facilitation Company of the Year

Trade facilitation has emerged as a key factor for international trade efficiency and the economic development of countries including Ghana. This is due to its impact on competitiveness and market integration and its increasing importance in attracting direct foreign investments. International trade has increased and shipping has become more global, with developing, emerging and transition economies connecting with international supply and value chains in terms of both their exports and imports. This award seeks to recognise companies promoting an enhanced trade facilitation regime in Ghana and also encourage actors in the trade facilitation sector to render first class efficient and transparent services.