Two senior women from the maritime industry have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Sarah Kenny, chief executive of BMT the UK design, engineering, science and risk management consultancy has been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
The accolade, for services to the maritime industry, and diversity, and is said to reflect her “long-standing commitment and contribution to supporting and promoting the UK’s maritime industries, in addition to her work on STEM and promoting the importance and value of diversity in the sector”.
Sir John Hood, chairman of BMT Group, said: “On behalf of the board of BMT, may I say we are thrilled that our chief executive, Sarah Kenny, has been honoured by the Queen for her services to the maritime industries and diversity.
“The award is timely recognition of Sarah's outstanding leadership in both areas over many years. We offer Sarah our whole-hearted congratulations on her OBE.”
Another awardee is Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) seafarer safety and health manager Julie Carlton who was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to maritime safety.
“Julie worked tirelessly to get the ground-breaking Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) on seafarer living and working conditions into UK Law,” the MCA said in a statement.
“She has worked with government departments, shipping companies and trade unions alike and now chairs the international committee of governments, shipowners and seafarer organisations which oversees implementation and ongoing improvements to the Convention.”
MCA chief executive Brian Johnson said: “Julie’s work has provided regulators both in the UK and internationally with a standard of seafarer welfare that gives them the benchmark to take action against poor working conditions. As a direct result of what she has done, seafarers’ lives will undoubtedly be improved.”
Carlton added: ‘It’s a great honour to have received this MBE which I believe reflects the work of the whole of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency in securing better conditions for seafarers to work in.
“Seafaring is one of the most dangerous professions in the world and it’s vital that we do everything we can to reduce that danger where we can.”
The honours lists, which are designed to recognise the “outstanding achievements of people across the UK, are published in the New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.
