DP World takes centre-stage at SMEISA awards

Dubai: Port operating group DP World was the big winner at last week's 6th annual Seatrade Middle East and Indian Subcontinent awards. In the presence of nearly 700 senior executives from maritime companies across the region DP World ceo Mohamed Sharaf (pictured second from left) was named Personality of the Year for the continuing successful expansion of Jebel Ali and the group's other port interests worldwide, while the Container Terminal Operating Award went to DP World - UAE region.

Guest of Honour Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah (pictured far left), DP World vp, had earlier kicked off proceedings by presenting an upbeat assessment of future container traffic growth in the region, calling upon other ports in the region to upgrade their facilities and levels of service to cope with the extra volumes.  

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to veteran George Edward Chapman, who had begun container operations at Port Rashid back in the 1960s when the terminal was under agency control. Captain Jimmy Sarbh, former Asia chairman of P&O Ports, won the Seatrade Outstanding Achievement Award for having built up P&O's dominant position in the Indian ports industry before it was taken over by DP World.

Dubai-based Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM) picked up the prestigious Safety & Quality Award, one of the four 'Technical Awards' decided by a committee of independent experts. Others went to Emarat Maritime, for Education and Training; Aveva  Solutions, for Technical Innovation; and Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) of Mumbai for Environmental Protection.

The Energy: Oil and Gas Award went to Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, while Vela of Saudi Arabia won the fiercely contested Tanker Operator award.

The night's lavish dinner and pre- and post-event receptions were accompanied by musical interludes and colourful dance routines, while a good dose of humour was injected by celebrity host Tim Sebastian (pictured far right) of BBC Television fame ('Hard Talk', 'Doha Debates'). Presiding over the evening was Chris Hayman (pictured second from left), chairman of maritime events organiser and publisher Seatrade, which also runs Awards schemes in London and Asia. [13/10/08]


The full list of Award categories, sponsors and winners were as follows:  


The Safety and Quality Award
Winner:   Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM) PJSC

The Education and Training Award (sponsored by Lloyd's Register)
Winner:  Emarat Maritime - Training Team
 
The Environment Protection Award
Winner:  Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal

The Technical Innovation Award sponsored by Vela International Marine Ltd
Winner:  AVEVA Solutions Ltd

The Ship repair/ Shipyard Award
Winner:  Drydocks World-Dubai

The Ship Manager Award
Winner:  International Tanker Management Holding

The Container Terminal Operator Award
Winner:   DP World - UAE Region

The Workboats Award
Winner:  NICO Middle East Ltd.

The Marine & Offshore Services Award
Winner:  Varun Shipping Company Ltd.

The Ship Finance Award
Winner:  Standard Chartered Bank

The Tanker Operator Award
Winner:  Vela International Marine Ltd.

The Classification Society Award
Winner:  Det Norske Veritas

The Marine Insurance Award
Winner:  The New India Assurance Company Ltd.

The Energy: Oil and Gas Award sponsored by Saudi Aramco- Marine Department
Winner:   Ras Laffan Industrial City

The Ship Agent Award    
The Winner:  Samsara Group

The Shipbroker Award
Winner:   BRS Middle East

The Transport/ Logistics/ Freight Award
Winner:  GAC Logistics

The Maritime Law Award
Winner:  Holman Fenwick Willan

The Ship Owner/Operator Award
Winner: United Arab Shipping Company

The Free Zone Authority Award
Winner: Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority

The Port Authority Award
Winner:  DP World- UAE Region

The Bulk Operator Award
Winner:  Emarat Maritime - Dry Bulk Team

Deal of the Year
Winner:  United Arab Shipping Company          

Personality of the Year
Winner: Mohammed Sharaf, CEO, DP World

Seatrade Outstanding Achievement Award:
Winner: Capt. Jimmy Sarbh

Seatrade Lifetime Achievement Award:
Winner: George Edward Chapman