Australian Marine Industry Awards 2018 reflect the on-going quality and competitiveness

by Lhamo Johnson 23 May 2018 06:32 BST 23 May 2018

The strong competition between entries for the various categories of the 2018 Australian Marine Industry Awards reflects the on-going quality and strength of the country's businesses in this important sector.

This was the clear overall message of Alistair Murray AM, Master of Ceremony, and those that presented the 2018 Awards at a Gala Dinner ceremony held at the Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort on May 22nd. The Award presentations ceremony took place as part of the ASMEX 2018 - Australian Superyacht, Marine Export and Commercial Marine Industry Conference.

For 2018 a total of 12 Awards and two Highly Commendations were made. These included a new category – the Australian Voyage Award which reflects the particular achievement of a visiting superyacht to Australia.

The winning and highly commended businesses for 2018 were as follows:

• 2018 Commercial Marine Manufacturer of the Year – Highly Commended: Air Berth Boat Lifts
• 2018 Commercial Marine Manufacturer of the Year – Winner: Steber International
• 2018 Commercial Marine Service Provider of the Year – Winner: Birdon
• 2018 Most Innovative Marine Industry Commercial Marine Product or Service of the Year – Highly Commended: Jacobs Ladder Boating
• 2018 Most Innovative Marine Industry Commercial Marine Product or Service of the Year – Winner: JEC Marine
• Commercial Industry Champion 2018 – Alan Steber
• 2018 Superyacht Industry Business of the Year – Service Provider – Winner: Gold Coast City Marine & Shipyard (GCCM)
• 2018 Superyacht Industry Business of the Year – Manufacturer – Winner: AUS Ships/Rivergate Marina & Shipyard
• 2018 Superyacht Industry Champion– Hillary Buckman
• Australian Voyage Award 2018 – Silent World
• Best Marine Industry Export Performance (Small Exporter) – Seahub
• Best Marine Industry Export Performance (Medium Exporter) – Rainman Desalination
• Best Marine Industry Export Marketing Strategy – Rainman Desalination
• Marine Industry Exporter of the Year – Rainman Desalination

In commenting on the role of the judges for the 2018 Awards, Alistair Murray pointed out that they had faced an increasingly tough job in reaching their decisions with the difference in points between the various entrants being very close.

The Judging Panel for the 2018 Australian Marine Industry Awards comprised Ken Evans of Ken Evans Consulting as Chair Judge, supported by Barry Jenkins, Chairman, Superyacht Australia, Richard Taylor of Austrade, Joe Akacich, Managing Director, Blackpond Marine Construction Pty Ltd, John Zammit, Editor, Shipmate News and Steve Mitchell, Naval Architect and Marine Consultant.

For the new Australian Voyage Award a special panel was formed which included Barry Jenkins, Chairman, Superyacht Australia as Chair Judge supported by Hillary Buckman, Managing Director, Ocean Media, Captain Carl and Melanie Brandes of the MY Glaze, Mary Anne Edwards, Director Superyacht Australia, Karen Fitzgerald, Global Manager, Experiences, Tourism Australia and Michael Taylor, Austrade.

Alistair Murray thanked both the Judges and the Award Sponsors for their valuable input and support. The Sponsors included Aqualuma LED Lighting; Bacardi, Boat Style Yacht Interiors, Scotchmans Hill and Jotun.