Only 14 days are left for seafarers to nominate for the ICSW International Seafarers' Welfare Awards. The Awards recognise excellence in the provision of welfare services and facilities to seafarers around the world both on board and ashore.

The categories in the awards are Port Of The Year, Shipping Company of the Year, Seafarer Centre of the Year, Drop-in Centre of the Year and Welfare Personality of the Year.

Four categories are nominated directly by seafarers. After receiving a nomination shipping companies, ports and seafarer centres will be invited to complete a full awards submission to take them through to the judging stage. The award for welfare personality of the year can be self-nominated or nominated by seafarers' organisations or individuals involved with seafarers' welfare.

Seafarers can nominate at www.seafarerswelfareawards.org or by post and email. Forms for the full submissions are also available online. The deadlines for nomination is 14th September and full submissions from nominees must be received by 26th September. The awards will be judged by leading figures in the industry and presented at a high profile awards ceremony at the International Maritime Organisation in London 28th November 2012.

The awards are generously funded by the ITF Seafarers' Trust. The awards are also supported & endorsed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), International Shipping Federation (ISF), the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA), and Seafarerhelp. International Shipping Federation (ISF) is sponsoring the Welfare Personality of the Year Award, Intermanager is sponsoring Shipping Company of the Year Award, and V.Ships are sponsoring the Drop-in Centre of the Year.

Posters & leaflets can be downloaded from here.

Please encourage all seafarers that you come into contact with to nominate for the awards.