A US state government is among the finalists in the first event in this year’s Lloyd’s List awards programme, which is acknowledging and promoting shipping’s commitment to decarbonisation.

The north-western state of Washington has been shortlisted in the Excellence in Decarbonisation Towards 2050 category of the Americas Awards, for its Washington Maritime Blue initiative. The initiative’s targets include the electrification of vessels and shore-side operations, reduced emissions, operational efficiency, research and development, entrepreneurship, investment and workforce development.

The theme of Lloyd’s List’s worldwide series of Excellence in Shipping awards in 2019 is to encourage and reward the industry’s commitment to the IMO’s 2050 GHG reduction strategy.

Another US state entity has been shortlisted — in the Excellence in Environmental Management category. The not-for-profit Alaska Maritime Prevention & Response Network, based in Anchorage, represents owners and operators and focuses on reducing the risk of marine casualties and oil spills.

The Lifetime Achievement award has already been announced. Kathy Metcalf, president and chief executive of the Chamber of Shipping of America, was selected by judges who applauded her career spanning both sea-time and shore-time, regulatory and policy issues, government and industry.

She will receive the award at the Lloyd’s List Americas Awards and Future Fuels Forum, a unique event recognising shipping excellence and examining the opportunities and challenges that new fuels will bring to the industry in the coming decades.

A panel of experts from vessel operations, classification, legal, and technology will address the risks still in play in fuelling the shipping industry post-2020 and whether the decarbonisation pathway is fact or fantasy.

The full list if the finalists is:

Deal of the Year    
Blank Rome
Seward & Kissel         
YieldStreet

Excellence in Data and Technology Innovation       
American Bureau of Shipping
FUELTRAX
ioCurrents
Nautilus Labs
TMS (Total Marine Solutions)
Veson Nautical
LISCR, Liberian Registry
FreightFlows

Excellence in Decarbonisation towards 2050          
ABB
CMA CGM
Seacor Marine holdings
State of Washington

Excellence in Environmental Management  
Alaska Maritime Prevention & Response Network
American Bureau of Shipping
APL
Ecochlor
NAMEPA with LISCR and ProSea

Excellence in Future Fuels Solutions  
CMA CGM
HJA Solutions
Wartsila

Excellence in Maritime Law      
Blank Rome
Corpus Christi International Seamen’s Center
Higgs & Johnson
Holland & Knight
ParrisWhittaker
Promare
Reed Smith

Excellence in Port Management and Infrastructure
Ferrini Container
Portonave S/A - Terminais Portuários de Navegantes
The Port of Virginia

Excellence in Safety & Training                                                               
American Bureau of Shipping
NAMEPA with LISCR and ProSea
Portonave S/A - Terminais Portuários de Navegantes
Shell Trading (US) Company

Excellence in Supply Chain Management and Innovation
CMA CGM
FreightFlows
NYSHEX