INDUSTRY-leading innovation and enhanced efficiency across the supply chain won the day at the Lloyd’s List Asia Pacific Awards 2018, held in Singapore on Thursday evening.

The winning line-up of entries for the annual celebration of excellence and outstanding performance in shipping was dominated by a common thread of innovative responses to industry issues, including clean fuel, digitalisation and enhanced efficiency of operations. 

“To move forward, the industry needs bold leadership to stimulate creative thinking and new solutions — and that is what we have seen here tonight in Singapore in all our winning entries,” said Lloyd’s List editor Richard Meade.

CMA CGM walked away with the evening’s top prize — Company of the Year.

The independent judging panel cited the container line’s impressive commercial performance as a key factor but said that the combination of a market-leading investment in LNG-fuelled vessels, the establishment of a start-up incubator, investment beyond maritime into logistics and a consistent commitment to safety and environmentally friendly operations all added up to make a winning formula for the 2018 honour.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to the founder and senior chairman of IMC Group, Tan Sri Frank Tsao Wen King.

The award recognised Mr Tsao’s long and illustrious career over 70 years, in which he has played a pivotal role, not just in shaping the growth of the maritime industry, but in promoting maritime education and research across Asia.

While Mr Tsao, 92, was unable to attend the ceremony in person due to ill health, the award was collected on his behalf by IMC Industrial Group managing director Ryan Chan.

In other categories, DNV GL walked away with the Data Innovation Award, but was also recognised for its involvement in the Environment Award-winning Green Corridor Project, established to find an environmentally friendly way to transport iron ore and coal between Australia and China.

The judging panel was “seriously impressed by the collaborative way in which this extraordinary joint industry venture has pioneered LNG-fuelled dry bulk transport and is now super-sizing the initial project with a very large ore carrier platform”.

In the sector specific categories, Berge Bulk won Dry Bulk Operator of the Year, APL won Containership Operator of the Year and Synergy bagged the Shipmanager of the Year prize.

The glittering ceremony, held at Singapore’s Shangri-La Hotel, saw more than 450 guests turn out to cheer on the winners of the coveted awards.

A 40% increase in the number of entries this year across all sectors and countries highlighted the growing demand from companies seeking independent recognition of their achievements to stand out in a tough market.

“Lloyd’s List established these awards more than 20 years ago to recognise the talent and consistent quality inherent in shipping, through good times and bad, and promote positive change and innovation,” said Mr Meade, speaking at the ceremony.

“We offer our congratulations and admiration to all the awards winners for their individually impressive achievements and their collective commitment to quality which sets the standard for others to follow.”

*The finale to the Lloyd’s List Awards will be the Global Awards ceremony to be held in London on December 11.

The deadline for entries is September 28. Categories can be viewed here. Entries can be registered here.