Tsakos and Sekimizu among those honoured at the Seatrade Awards 2015

Guest of honour Alderman The Lord Mountevans, and a broker at Clarksons, welcomed guests to the Guild Hall, which falls within Cheap, his ward within the City of London.

“What an event, what an audience. Looking over the list of those attending I think that many of you and the firms that you represent deserve to be honoured.”

Among those collecting awards in front of over 330 guests were IMO secretary general Koji Sekimizu, who received the Seatrade Personality Award, and founder and chairman of Tsakos Group, Captain Panagiotis Tsakos who received the  Seatrade Lifetime Achievement Award.

“I would like to humbly receive this great honour for all people who support the IMO, including all the staff members of the secretariat and my family,“ added Sekimizu, before devoting the award to his wife.

On receiving his award, Capt. Tsakos said: "The success of the company I have set up is not the accomplishment of one man, one family or even one generation. It is rather the collective outcome of hard work and ongoing sacrifices made by many generations, initiatied by our forefathers who planted in us the seed of seamanship, and a devotion to the sea."

The award for countering piracy drew strong support from the audience as the achievements of retired colonel John Steed in returning seafarers held hostage in Somalia to their families were listed.

Lomar Shipping ceo Achime Bohme received the Seatrade Young Person in Shipping Award on behalf of winner George Logothetis, ceo of Libra Group.

Rear Admiral Peter Brady, director general of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica was honoured with the IMO-themed Award for World Maritime Day 2015 for Maritime education and training, while China's Cosco Group won the Global Performer award.

A panel of judges from among the industry's leading figures, led by IMO secretary general, independently selected the winners of the competitive categories in the afternoon, with special awards given by Seatrade.

The Seatrade Awards 2015 winners are:

Safety at Sea Award – sponsored by Lloyd’s Register - Latitude 98, USA - Thermashield 24+

Clean Shipping Award – joint winners: DNV GL, Norway - Battery ferry Ampere and Drydocks World – Dubai, UAE - Clean Shipping Through Robots

Innovation in Ship Operations Award – sponsored by Inmarsat Maritime - Setel PowerLine Limited, UK Maritime Power Line Communication Solutions – Enabling vessel wide IP networks

Investment in People Award – sponsored by DNV GL - The Nautical Institute, UK - The Navigator (magazine)

Seatrade Lifetime Achievement Award – sponsored by ABS - Founder and Chairman of Tsakos Group,  Captain Panagiotis Tsakos

Seatrade Personality Award – sponsored by ClassNK - Koji Sekimizu, Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation.

Seatrade Global Performer Award - COSCO

Seatrade Young Person in Shipping Award sponsored by COSCO – George Logothetis, ceo, Libra Group

Seatrade Award for Countering Piracy  - Sponsored by DP World -Colonel (retd) John Steed, Director, Oceans Beyond Piracy

IMO Themed Award for World Maritime Day 2015 "Maritime education and training” - sponsored by CCS - Rear Admiral Peter Brady, director general of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica