Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Dr. Irfaan Ali, president of The Republic of Guyana, will serve as keynote speaker when the Florida-based nonprofit American Caribbean Maritime Foundation (ACMF) hosts its Fifth Annual Gala and Anchor Awards ceremony on Friday, Nov. 4 at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club in Fort Lauderdale.

Alleviating poverty and transforming lives in the Caribbean through maritime education and community development is the mission of ACMF, whose scholarships provide Caribbean students with careers in the cruise industry.

The annual awards honor stalwarts in the cargo and cruise industry for their accomplishments and positive impact on Caribbean shipping and maritime sector. This year’s Distinguished Honoree is Eddie Gonzalez, president and CEO of Seaboard Marine.

The event also supports scholarships for aspiring Caribbean maritime professionals.

“ACMF scholarships help students from the Caribbean region access many excellent career paths provided by ocean shipping.,” said Gala Chairman Rick Murrell, president and CEO Saltchuk Logistics.

“Our 2022 gala theme, ‘Educate. Inspire.’ represents the important work of the foundation,” he said. “It is with deep gratitude that we gather to celebrate ACMF scholars and the maritime community that supports them.”

The International Monetary Fund forecasts Guyana’s economy will grow 47% this year as a result of multiple offshore oil deposits. The deposits’ size relative to Guyana’s population of 780,000 has some projecting the country is on track to overtake Kuwait to become the world’s largest per-capita crude producer.

“Our work in support of training future Guyanese mariners and maritime professionals, echoes what we do across the Caribbean region,” said Dr. Geneive Brown Metzger, ACMF president, “and we are so delighted to be welcoming His Excellency, Guyana’s president, to this year’s Anchor Awards.”

The Anchor Awards gala is the seminal Caribbean-focused maritime gala celebration in Florida, honoring stalwarts of the industry while introducing the scholarship recipients, officials said.

The ACMF also hosts an annual Caribbean regionwide webinar, the Maritime Link-Up Webinar, attended by hundreds of students to promote maritime careers. The seatime initiative identifies internship opportunities on vessels to enable cadets to achieve the training needed before they can take up permanent jobs at sea.

Supporters include cargo and cruise lines, maritime trade associations, such as Arawak Port Development, DP World, Integra Marine, Seacor Island Marine, Tropical Shipping, TOTE Marine, Saltchuk Logistics, Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Caribbean Shipping Association, and friends.

Supporters include cargo and cruise lines, maritime trade associations, such as Arawak Port Development, DP World, Integra Marine, Seacor Island Marine, Tropical Shipping, TOTE Marine, Saltchuk Logistics, Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Caribbean Shipping Association, and friends.

Officials said guests expected to attend the black-tie celebration include top maritime brass Andy Thorne, CEO of Kestrel Group; Jeff Fiser, Tropical Shipping CEO; Mark Williams, CEO and Jeffrey Hall, chairman of Kingston Wharves Ltd.; Charles Gittens, Seacor Island Lines CEO; Tim Martin, Tropical vice president; as well as executives from the Caribbean Shipping Association, Shipping Association of Barbados, Women in Caribbean Maritime (WiMAC), and ACMF Scholarship recipients from Jamaica and Guyana..

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