WHILE the Lloyd's List Awards always strives to acknowledge the very best in this dynamic industry, this year we have set aside the traditional awards portfolio in order to recognise the exceptional circumstances in which the maritime industry has found itself as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Two new categories have been included in the 'Lloyd’s List Awards — Innovation & Resilience in Maritime' event, to be held in December in London, to reinforce the theme; Provision of Seafarer Wellbeing and Entrepreneur of the Year.

The seafarer wellbeing award recognises the unique hardships endured by those who have played an outsized role in the pandemic, keeping global trade lanes moving in the face of sustained physical and mental burdens placed on them by some states and employers and the virus itself.

In recognising the role of the entrepreneur, we will seek out those who have demonstrated vision, turning an idea into reality, finding solutions that address a substantial global challenge, creating new opportunities for the maritime industry, or achieved success in a market with a fresh approach.

In this article, we will take you through the simple steps required to enter yourself or your company into the awards and ensure that your submission meets all the requirements.

How to enter

The Lloyd's List Awards 2020 will take place on December 8 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London. 

There are many reasons to enter the awards, but registering your entry early using our online form is the first step. Lloyd’s List has made this part as easy as possible.

First, read through the Categories & Criteria and decide on the most appropriate ones for you. In addition to this article, there are some handy Entry Guidelines to help with your entry.  

Also important, make a note of the deadline, which for this year is Friday, September 11. We always recommend getting your entry in as early as possible.

Finally, select the ‘Enter Here’ option. It will then take you through the registration and entry process. Just follow the on-screen instructions and make sure you fully submit your entry.

Don’t worry if you are not able to complete the entry in one go as once you are set up, you can log back in at any time and add more. Once you have completed your submission, you will receive an automated email acknowledging that we have received it.

Entry rules

While the process for entering is simple to follow, there are still a few rules that you need to be aware of when making your submission.

The rules for entry are as follows. Don’t fall at the first hurdle by failing to take them into account:

• Entries must be written in English

• Entries must be no longer than 500 words

• Entries must be accompanied by a 50-word synopsis of the entry as you would like it to appear on all publicity material (Lloyd’s List reserves the right to publish your synopsis)

• Entries must be submitted via our online entry system

• All entries will be treated as confidential but Lloyd’s List reserves the right to publish positive extracts from winning entries

• All entries must be based on activities undertaken between October 2019 and September 2020 

Top tips

We are often asked if there is a magic formula for submissions getting recognised. The short answer is 'no', but there are ways to approach the creation of your entry to give it the best chance of success.

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to ensure that your entry meets all the correct criteria. Judges will be checking your entry against the criteria and you should too.

Also, always stick to the 500-word limit. If this limit feels a bit tight for what you want to convey, we allow links to supplemental information such as videos, webinars and articles (please include the correct hyperlink!).

We encourage entries in more than one category per individual or company, where appropriate; but please ensure you review the category criteria and tailor your entry accordingly.

That covers the basics. Now some tips to consider when preparing your submission:

• Identify your winning Unique Selling Point (USP). What is it that makes you stand out from the rest? Which projects, deals and initiatives have delivered the best results against your aims and goals, be they financial, environmental or something else?

• Find your winning category. Which of the options available best fits the profile of your USP? Check the category explainer and pay close attention to what the judges are looking for and the language used. Compare your entry against them to find the best fit.

• Write your story. Use the category you have selected to provide the ‘theme’ for your written entry and then start on the 'who, what, why, where and how'. Look through the category explainer again and identify the keywords, matching them up where appropriate against the language used in your entry.

• Keep it simple. Do not flourish your entry with frothy platitudes or include impenetrable technical jargon. Be honest and choose facts over clichés to make it as easy as possible for the judges to understand what your entry is saying and why it is important.

• Present your evidence. What actions did you take to achieve your aims? Do you have measurable results (you don’t have to provide confidential information)? What are your customers saying about you or your product? Do you have brief testimonials you could include explaining why your offering helps them? As mentioned above, if you have online videos or other material that supplements your story then include links to them in the text.

• Let it breathe, then edit. Never submit your first written draft. Take the time to read through your entry, get someone else to take a look, and then make any necessary changes before hitting the submit button. If you are unsure of your grammar or spelling, why not make use of the many free vocabulary tools on the market.

• Meet the deadline. We encourage you to make your entry as early as possible. We do not want you to miss out because it has arrived too late.

Can sponsors enter the awards?

Awards sponsors may enter their company or an individual from their company, but not in the category they are sponsoring. This is obviously to ensure a fair process.

If you wish to sponsor a category or if you have questions about other marketing opportunities, please contact Natasha Dwyer

The Lloyd’s List team wishes you the best of luck for the 2020 awards!