Awards
Congratulations to our 2025 Winners!
We are delighted to reveal the winners for the 2025 Crew Connect Global Awards.
Signol - Environmental & Green Transition Award Winner
Signol is the maritime industry's first behavioral science technology platform that transforms vessel data into human performance insights, addressing the critical gap where over 45% of crew fuel-saving opportunities are missed daily. Without requiring hardware or training, the platform delivers personalized communications that motivate seafarers to take fuel-saving actions, with achievements incentivized through charitable donations, creating lasting cultural change while delivering measurable environmental and financial benefits.
Agwa - Health and Wellbeing Award Winner
Agwa transforms seafarer health through its autonomous, AI-powered onboard farming system that enables vessels to grow fresh, chemical-free vegetables year-round with minimal maintenance. This innovative solution improves crew nutrition, reduces food waste, supports mental health during long voyages, and helps operators meet MLC requirements while maintaining cost neutrality.
Steven Jones - Industry Champion Award Winner
Steven Jones, a former navigation officer turned researcher and advocate, founded the Seafarers Happiness Index, now the maritime sector's leading barometer of crew wellbeing worldwide. Through quarterly reports and data-driven insights, he has transformed how the industry understands life at sea, shifting the global conversation from compliance to human experience and empowering crews to speak openly about welfare, connectivity, safety and respect.
Adopt a Ship InterNational - Industry Partner Award Winner
The Adopt-A-Ship Program connects schools with the maritime industry, allowing students to "adopt" real ships, communicate with crews, and learn about global trade and maritime life. This innovative initiative transforms classrooms into interactive learning environments, bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world experiences while fostering cultural awareness, sustainability, and long-term partnerships between education and shipping communities.
Maersk Training - Innovation and Adoption of Technology Award Winner
Maersk Training's Virtual Reality (VR) Training Initiative revolutionizes maritime education by blending immersive simulation with real-world learning outcomes, allowing cadets and seafarers to experience high-risk operational scenarios in a fully controlled virtual environment. This cutting-edge platform enhances safety awareness, decision-making, and skill retention while reducing training costs, improving competency standards, and bridging the gap between classroom theory and onboard practice through technology-driven experiential learning.
Capt. Belal Ahmed - Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Capt. Belal Ahmed has devoted over two decades to the International Maritime Employers' Council (IMEC), serving as chairman and board member while shaping strategic direction and strengthening maritime industrial relations. His impactful contributions include launching successful cadet training programmes in the Philippines that produced over 2,000 graduates, establishing the Global Partnership between IMEC, ICS, and ITF, and leading industry efforts during Covid-19 to secure seafarer recognition as key workers and coordinate quarantine facilities.
Captain Zulaika Florin - Seafarer of the Year Award Winner
Captain Zulaika Florin, an inspiring Master Mariner, made history as the first female cadet to graduate magna cum laude and top the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in its 186-year history. Her exceptional leadership includes life-saving decisive actions such as coordinating helicopter evacuations, mentoring crew members, conducting safety training, and empowering women officers to lead with confidence, while also supporting her community through civic programs that reflect true service, resilience, and maritime excellence.
Capital Group - Training and Safety at Sea Award Winner
Capital Group's state-of-the-art Training Center in Chios, Greece, features Europe's first Extended Reality (XR) Full-Mission Bridge Simulator, developed with FORCE Technology. This pioneering facility combines real FURUNO bridge equipment with immersive virtual environments, reducing hardware needs by 50% while delivering ultra-realistic training through Kongsberg K-Sim Engine Room and Cargo Handling simulators identical to Capital's fleet systems, enabling authentic practice conditions and remote worldwide training via cloud-based K-Sim Connect to minimize travel emissions.
Congratulations to all our winners!
Thank you to all Finalists, Judges, and Awards sponsors!
