The winners of the inaugural 2022 Crew Welfare Awards announced

The winners of the 2022 Crew Welfare Virtual Awards are:

Prime Marine Management Inc. received the 2022 Crew Welfare Tanker Operator Award for assisting seafarers and their families during the unprecedented humanitarian crises (both pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine) by providing medical and mental health support. The company, having high levels of empathy and responsibility for the seafarers’ welfare, is focused on supporting them by various means. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Columbia Shipmanagement, Evergas Ship Management Pte Ltd., Fleet Management Limited, Thome Group

Prime Marine Management is supporting its crew members and their families, focusing on all seafarers’ state of mental health and welfare. From day one when the war broke out, Prime built a designated team assigning office staff employees, including the Crew Manager, to closely work with the Ukrainian crewmembers. Prime provided a total support system for the seafarers families. Two assigned employees were placed at the families’ accommodations in order to secure the fulfillment of their needs and the proper habitat and care conditions. Prime’s Top Management along with two doctors flew up to the border to greet and meet all the family members that had gathered so far at their newly formed haven. Additionally, for more than two years and all the issues arising due to COVID-19, specified psychologists and mental health professionals have been appointed to assist seafarers whenever they wish in their mother language. The company has also focused on providing continuous training to its seafarers. Computer-based training has been prepared and uploaded to the company’s training platform for their review and further discussion.

Accepting the award, Mr. Dimitrios Kampadellis, Crew Manager, Prime Marine Management Inc. said:

We feel that all these efforts are owed to all of our company assets, which are the crew members. We do not believe that we were and are doing anything extraordinary, as we feel that we are just giving back a modest part of what we have been getting all these years, which is loyalty, hard work and performance.

Oldendorff Carriers received the 2022 Crew Welfare Dry Bulk Operator Award for focusing on crew welfare, giving priority to timely crew changes, supporting social life onboard by supplying free internet and investing in crew wellness and happiness, as part of its commitment to sustainability. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: C Transport Maritime S.A.M, Campbell Shipping, Pacific Basin Shipping Limited, Thome Group

Oldendorff Carriers has built a “self-propelled” global network of commercially-driven managers and seagoing personnel, who support each other and share knowledge and resources. Having a diverse and talented workforce involving 4,500 people who originate from 60 countries, the company is investing in crew wellness and happiness, as part of its commitment to sustainability. During COVID-19 challenging times, Oldendorff Carriers gave priority to timely crew changes and supported social life onboard. Understanding how difficult COVID times have been for seafarers and their families, Oldendorff Carriers provided all crew members with 1Gb of free data per week. Safety is a very important part of Oldendorff Carriers’ culture; the company maintains all assets to very high standards. Oldendorff Carriers provides training programs and systems which are the most important factor in achieving operational excellence. The company strives to forge an inclusive work culture where women’s careers thrive. Women are an integral part of the maritime workforce and the day-to-day operations at Oldendorff.

Accepting the award, Mr. Harry Papadimitriou, Director of Crewing, Oldendorff Carriers, said:

The last few years have been very challenging for promoting crew welfare on board. For this reason, we have had a major campaign to get our crew members vaccinated and at this point we have managed to have 98% of our crew fully being vaccinated. We have also provided all crew members with internet access, however we still encourage and support old-fashioned crew entertainment and socializing on board

OSM Maritime Services, Inc. received the 2022 Crew Welfare Management Award for putting ‘Financial Literacy, Health & Wellness and Family Values’ as basic pillars of its strategy to support OSM seafarers and families during the pandemic. During 2021, OSM conducted several virtual talks, engagement activities, town halls and conferences and provided support to OSM seafarers on quarantine, especially those who tested positive. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Elvictor Group Inc., Magsaysay People Resources Corporation, Seaspan Crew Management India Pvt Ltd, Synergy Marine Group

OSM Maritime Services has put seafarers and their families at the heart of its strategy with the implementation of OSM Crew and Family Welfare Program (OSM SFC). Financial Literacy, Health & Wellness and Family Values are the basic pillars of OSM program. When the pandemic came, OSM SFC knew the need to reach out to its seafarers and families even more. Hence, it immediately activated its OSM SFC Facebook page to deliver timely operational updates, COVID-related announcements and to continue the OSM SFC program, albeit, virtually. Providing support to OSM seafarers on quarantine, especially those who tested positive, became a key priority in 2021. OSM Maritime Services, Inc. also carried out many other initiatives in support of its seafarers. For example, it chartered 8 flights to/from Norway and Philippines and it partnered with Nordic Medical Clinic to lead its health & wellness campaign and procure COVID vaccines to inoculate its crew and shore employees. OSM Crew and Family Welfare Program also serves as an opportunity for OSM management and crewing personnel to personally engage with its seafarers, in a light and festive atmosphere, outside the confines of the office.

Accepting the award, Mrs. Mailyn Borillo, Managing Director of OSM Philippines, said:

In OSM we have three basic pillars for our crew and family welfare program. First is the financial literacy program, because it is not how much you earn, it is how much you save and invest. Secondly, we advocate seafarers to take care of themselves, so they can take care of others. Lastly, we offer the family values seminars because the best gift seafarers can give to their children is a good relationship with them.

WellAtSea received the 2022 Crew Welfare Service Provider Award for its WellAtSea Program which is focused on mental resiliency, physical strength & health, and improved group dynamics and socialization. Through game play, a rewards system, and social platform, the program is currently equipped with 37 months of evidence-based content or more than 200 different engaging activities, physical exercises, and learning modules. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Mental Health Support Solutions, Seafair, Seaways Psychology Services, ShipMoney.

The WellAtSea Program has been leading seafarers globally towards a continuous and sustainable lifestyle change since 2018. At the end of 2021, the program had reached more than 12,000 seafarers on 338 vessels from a variety of esteemed fleets such as BW, Hafnia, V Group, TORM, Berge Bulk, Norstar, Northern Marine, and Thome Group. The main goals of the WellAtSea Program are focused on mental resiliency, physical strength & health, and improved group dynamics and socialization. Through game play, a rewards system, and social platform, the program is currently equipped with 37 months of evidence-based content or more than 200 different engaging activities, physical exercises, and learning modules. In the last 18 months, the program has seen 82% of ships with active participants in the program (from 75% in 2020). That means that at any given time, there are crew members on board 82% of the vessels who are utilizing the WellAtSea solution, with at least 50% participation from the crew on board (from 45% in 2020). WellAtSea’s continuous innovation of its products and evidence-based solutions is geared towards fulfilling its organization’s mission: to safeguard the overall well-being of all seafarers around the world. In 2021, WellAtSea has proven that with full commitment to the well-being of seafarers, they contribute greatly to building a robust workforce, today and for the future generations to come.

Accepting the award Ms. Gisa R. Paredes, M.A. Rpsy, Chief Operating Officer, WellAtSea, said:

We have more than 450 ships with approximately 14 000 seafarers whom we are dedicated to helping. We also wish to thank our team that has tirelessly kept in good spirits for the sake of the seafarers throughout this pandemic, their dedication, enthusiasm and genuine concern for the seafarers, which has eventually positively affected the way that crew members engage with each other.

ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network) received the 2022 Crew Welfare Organization Award for helping numerous seafarers globally during the COVID-19 breakdown, providing humanitarian support to them and their families, through its Regional Program, SeafarerHelp, Relief Funds and Social Interaction Matters (SIM) Project. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Australian Mariners Welfare Society, MASSA (Maritime Association of Ship Owners, Ship Managers and Agents), Sailors’ Society, The Mission to Seafarers

Launched in January 2020, ISWAN’s Social Interaction Matters (SIM) Project has been supporting shipping to increase and improve seafarer social interaction and wellbeing on board. The SIM Project plans to explore key themes that have emerged from ISWAN research, such as the link between fatigue, safety, social interaction and wellbeing. ISWAN provides SeafarerHelp, a free, confidential helpline for seafarers and their families 24/7 around the world. The SeafarerHelp team speaks a wide range of languages including Filipino, Russian, Hindi, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic. Also, ISWAN helps seafarers and their families who face sudden or unforeseen crises, finding themselves difficult to cover emergency costs through its Seafarers’ Emergency Fund. ISWAN administers additional relief funds for seafarers and their families who have been affected by piracy and, most recently, the Ukraine crisis.

Accepting the award, Mr. Simon Grainge, Chief Executive, ISWAN, said:

It is hard to imagine how tough life has been for seafarers in recent years, while now they are dealing with a situation in Ukraine. However, ISWAN’s work is far from finished; we will continue to provide seafarers with support through our helplines and crisis funds, as well as through our advocacy and campaigns for as long as they need it, because without them, the world supply chains will collapse.

Maritime SheEO received the 2022 Crew Welfare Diversity & Inclusion Award for providing a platform that promotes the next generation of female maritime leaders. Recently, Maritime SheEO in collaboration with IMO & WISTA launched the Maritime SheEO Leadership Accelerator Programme to provide management knowledge and skills to empower women in the maritime industry. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: ECSA and ETF, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Maritime UK, The Seafarers’ Charity.

Passionate about driving change, Ms. Sanjam Sahi Gupta, launched Maritime SheEO in August 2019. Maritime SheEO works with organizations to create a level playing field for women and environment conducive for women to rise to leadership positions. Launched in March 2022, the Maritime SheEO Leadership Accelerator Programme aims to enable women to become part of an active and trustworthy network of female executives who support and inspire each other along their leadership journey. By highlighting the best practices in the Industry, Maritime SheEO aims to build a robust list of resources for the industry to use related to diversity. Its goal is to increase the participation of women and eliminate all forms of biases in the maritime industry.

Accepting the award, Mrs. Sanjam Gupta, Founder, Maritime SheEO, said:

Maritime SheEO started with a dream to drive equality within the maritime industry. It started as a small initiative in 2019, and it has grown with the hard work and efforts of our team. Today, the only thing that separates women from reaching leadership positions is opportunity. We all need to champion diversity, and we promise we will continue to do so in the coming years. Diversity is what makes our industry special.

Doris Magsaysay-Ho, President and CEO, Magsaysay Group of Companies received the 2022 Crew Welfare Personality Award for promoting and enhancing crew welfare, setting ‘We Care’ as a core corporate value. In that regard, Magsaysay Group puts its people as key priority offering to them various programs and initiatives to empower, address societal challenges, and promote sustainable well-being.

Magsaysay Group of Companies, headed by Doris Magsaysay Ho, is known to be a frontrunner of promoting workplace Diversity and Inclusion. The Group President and CEO continues to inspire fellow business leaders, the next generation of entrepreneurs, young professionals, and marginalized sectors to succeed in their chosen path. Doris has built Magsaysay into a large, diverse, inclusive, and trusted group of companies servicing hospitality and tourism, healthcare, transport and logistics, training, oil and gas, and specialized engineering and trade industries. Doris has established Magsaysay’s representation in key progressive affiliations. She is also a founding member of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), a coalition that aims to improve gender equity in the workplace. With 45% of its junior management roles being occupied by women, Magsaysay is the first Philippine maritime company to receive Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) Assess Certification. The Company has also opened its doors to members of the LGBTQIA+ community and persons with disabilities (PWD) who conquer the seas and earn for their families abroad. Magsaysay keenly promotes diversity in all its creatives materials and communications, relentlessly breaking against the mold in the maritime industry.

Accepting the award, Ms. Doris Magsaysay-Ho, said:

The pandemic has given the shipping industry a rare opportunity to think about what is truly important in our lives. It has also made us realize that without seafarers, mankind would not have food, medicine, and the basic necessities we need in our daily lives. All of us must rethink how we support the crew health and wellness, in order for the pre-employment medical to become a positive annual exam to help seafarers become healthy, rather than something to fear and worry about.

Gerardo A. Borromeo, Vice-Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, PTC Holdings Corporation, received the 2022 Crew Welfare Leadership Award for his invaluable contribution to the Philippine maritime industry. Mr. Borromeo has been responsible for the development and implementation of the PTC Group’s strategic initiatives and business interests and has also demonstrated innovative leadership, taking the helm of the board of key industry’s associations throughout his career.

Mr. Borromeo is also a board member of ICS, where he currently serves as Vice Chair. For two consecutive terms, Mr. Borromeo served as President of InterManager; the only Filipino to be elected to this leading post. For his invaluable contributions to the Philippine maritime industry, Mr. Borromeo was honored by MARINA with the TIMONEL Maritime Achievement Award in 2014. In 2015, he was the first Filipino to be awarded the distinguished Seatrade Personality of the Year Award at the Seatrade Maritime Awards Asia. Mr. Borromeo earned his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA and is currently a member of the Executive Board of the MIT Sloan School of Management. He continues to represent MIT as a Regional Chair and Educational Counselor for the Philippines and has been recognized with MIT’s George B. Morgan Award for sustained excellence.

Accepting the award, Mr. Gerardo A. Borromeo, said:

Over the last 18 years I have come to truly appreciate the important role that shipping plays in facilitating global trade; a perspective that is not always visible to the general public. However, equally significant is the responsibility of global maritime professionals to ensure that shipping achieves its objectives. These two considerations are what have driven me over the years to encourage greater engagement across all stakeholders of our industry

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