Lloyd’s List will launch new categories in an expanded Americas Awards next year to reflect changing challenges for the shipping industry.

The awards will celebrate advancements in fuel solutions, technology for cleaner emissions and cyber security, in response to stricter emissions regulations taking effect in 2020 and growing risks to shipping from cyber-attacks.

The Best Fuel Solution and Best Technology for Cleaner Emissions accolades and the Cyber Security Innovation Award are among five new categories.

There will be a new Cruise Safety Innovation award in recognition of the vanguard role the cruise sector plays in general maritime safety and the importance of the industry in the Americas.

A growing awareness of the role that ports play in shipping, supply chain and local communities and economies in the Americas will also be recognised by the new category of Port Infrastructure Development of the Year.

The new areas for judging will reinforce Lloyd’s List’s commitment to supporting the industry through traditional categories such as Ship Operator of the Year, Port Operator of the Year, Company of the Year, Deal of the Year and others.

The Lloyd’s List Americas Awards, celebrated in New York this year, will be held in Houston in 2018 on the evening of May 23, following Informa KNect 365’s Gas Shipping North America conference. We chose Houston to host the awards because of its rapidly growing importance as a global energy exporting centre and to support the city’s recovery from the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in August, 2017.

Entries will be judged by an independent panel of distinguished industry leaders from Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America and the United States. They will be looking for excellence, innovation and role models in an industry trying to keep pace with change occurring at unparalleled speed.

Lloyd’s List is proud to host the Americas Awards to celebrate the endeavours of companies, individuals and organisations, as part of our global portfolio of awards comprising the APAC Awards, the Global Freight Awards, the Greek Shipping Awards, the South Asia, Middle East and Africa Awards and culminating in the Lloyd’s List Global Awards in London on December 11, 2018.

The full list of categories for the Americas Awards is available here.