Royal Caribbean Cruises to receive 2011 NAMEPA Award

Jamie Sweeting, vice president of Environmental Stewardship, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., says he is “delighted” that the cruise line is the recipient of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) 2011 Marine Environment Protection Award.

“Royal Caribbean is dedicated to helping to protect the marine environment, and we are committed to caring for the unique and beautiful places we visit throughout the world,” said Mr. Sweeting. “It is an honor to be recognized by NAMEPA for our commitment to protect, conserve and support the environment.”

The award was announced by Clay Maitland, NAMEPA’s Founding Chairman. It will be presented at NAMEPA’s Awards Dinner to be held at Chelsea Piers’ The Lighthouse in New York following NAMEPA’s seminar on Corporate Risk Management, which will focus on the need of the maritime industry to evaluate risk in a challenging operating environment.

The NAMEPA Marine Environment Protection Award is given in recognition of an individual or organization’s efforts on behalf of preserving the marine environment as exemplified by a commitment to a program which has specific objectives set for environmental performance and improvement, and which is innovative and goes beyond minimum environmental compliance.  Eligible candidates include members of the commercial maritime industry, government agencies, and individuals and submissions are judged by the organization’s Board of Directors against the criteria behind the award.

Comments from the judges included “RCL’s efforts to educate their passengers through their comprehensive program Save the Waves program deserves special attention”,  “Save the Waves program is changing Hearts and Minds…and preserving the marine environment for future generations to enjoy”; “RCL’s robust fuel consumption reduction and waste recycling programs have yield excellent results in reduced in GHG and shoreside disposal”; “RCL’s commitment and efforts in protecting the environment clearly follow the ABCs…Above Basic Compliance.”

The first NAMEPA Marine Environment Protection Award was presented three years ago posthumously to the founder of the MEPA movement, George P. Livanos who created HELMEPA 28 years ago due to his interest and concern for the marine environment.  In 2009,  the NAMEPA Award was presented to the United States Coast Guard and last year to liner company APL.

The NAMEPA Award Dinner will follow an afternoon seminar “Environmental Intelligence in Maritime:  Corporate Risk Management”, featuring RADM James Watson, Director of Prevention Policy for the United States Coast Guard; Stacey Mitchell, Director of Environmental Crimes, Department of Justice; Dr. Steve Coan, CEO and President Sea Research Foundation, Clay Maitland, Founding Chairman of NAMEPA.  The afternoon will conclude with a Senior Leadership Roundtable including Morten Arntzen of Overseas Shipholding Group, Gene Seroka of APL, Joe Hughes President of the American Club and Jeff Pribor, Chief Financial Officer of GenMar, amongst others.

Tables for the NAMEPA Awards dinner, and tickets for the afternoon seminar, may be obtained by contacting Carleen Lyden-Kluss at executivedirector@namepa.net or by calling +203 255 4686.  Admittance is by reservation only and is limited.

October 5, 2011