It bore the markings of fineness and elegance; an event worthy of those most worthy, presented in the grandeur and charm of the century-old halls of the New York Yacht Club.

Yet, the second annual Anchor Awards of the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation was not about glitter and finery. It was about history and empowerment; succession and development.

And by the end, before the 170 guests walked out into a blustery Manhattan night on October 11, 2019, they had collectively reaffirmed the fundamental relationship of shipping to regional development; celebrated the contribution of three stalwarts to the development of the maritime sector in the Caribbean; and then, in an act of unbridled benevolence, collected among themselves cash to support corporate grants for scholarships to the Caribbean Maritime University.

The stellar event, which the ACMF has described as ‘a tradition in the making’, was designed as a tribute to those who played a significant role in building the Caribbean maritime sector; and, as a source of tangible support for future mariners of the region.

David Harding, in addressing the gathering, recalled the developmental role played by stalwarts of the Caribbean Shipping Association in moving training and education to the centre of regional maritime development. He recalled the many training modules prepared and delivered in building a cadre of modern seafarers. And he spoke of the relentless efforts by the CSA over nearly half a century to expand and improve port operations and seafarer training in the Caribbean.

“We must give our time, talents and money to keep these programmes going and indeed evolving to meet the challenges (ahead)…

Our needs are changing. The maritime continuum of tomorrow could see ships with no crew; gantry cranes and container handling units with no operators. Robotics will be de rigueur.

“The shift in training modules must be geared to these events… Support for the ACMF is (therefore) more vital than ever,” Mr. Harding said. —