Applications will be accepted until 19 February and the decision will be announced on 20 March

WMW 2025 has today announced the second World Maritime Week Awards with the opening of the period for the presentation of entries and the publication of the rules of the competition (WMW) organised by the Bilbao Exhibition Centre for March next year.

Until 19 February, professionals from the maritime industry worldwide can submit ideas and projects for the WMW awards. As stated in the terms and conditions of the awards, nominations will be accepted from any individual, institutional organisation, NGDO, employees from the various trades, university, school and municipality, who present projects or ideas to be implemented in relation to the sector.

The panel of judges is made up of representatives of the different Scientific Committees of the four simultaneous events held within the framework of World Maritime Week: Sinaval (shipbuilding), Eurofishing (fishing), Futureport (ports) and Marine Energy Week (marine renewable energies). Thus, four awards will be presented: one for each sector.

The panel will cast its votes from 10 March, and the decision will be made public on 20 March, on day two of WMW 2025.

Originality, impact on the sector, the industry challenge to which it presents a solution, its overall benefits, job creation, the application of new technologies, environmental impact and personal or business career opportunities will be factors to be taken into account in the assessment of each of the entries. In addition, all the projects submitted will be made public, if the authors so wish, regardless of whether or not they receive an award.

The World Maritime Week Awards were set up in 2023 with the aim of recognising the achievements of the various players who drive the maritime sector forward and contribute to the continuous improvement of the maritime industry. The event will be held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre from 19 to 21 March next year, with the first two days of intense activity in the BEC’s Luxua pavilion, while the last day will be reserved for technical visits to different companies in the area.

The first World Maritime Week Awards event was held in 2023, with the following awards being presented:

  • Sinaval Award to Artemis Technologies
  • Eurofishing Award to the Alakrana of Echebastar
  • Futureport Award to the Port Authority of Vigo
  • OEC Award to Jesús María Blanco, lecturer at the Bilbao School of Engineering (UPV/EHU) and promoter of the Erasmus Mundus REM Plus Master’s programme.

Bilbao Exhibition Centre is organising this maritime sector event in collaboration with Uniport, the Basque Maritime Forum and Clúster Energía, with the institutional backing of the Basque Government and Azti, and with the support of the Technical Advisory Committee and the Scientific Committees, made up of strategic clusters and key companies in the sector.