MARITIME Industry Australia Ltd has bestowed honorary membership awards on two shipping luminaries.

The peak body described Teresa Lloyd and Mick Kinley as “two of the industry’s most enigmatic industry stalwarts” in recognising Ms Lloyd, long-time CEO and member of the MIAL Secretariat, now with Carnival Australia, and Mr Kinley, retiring CEO of AMSA.

The two were acknowledged at the Blueprint for a Maritime Nation Gala Dinner in Brisbane late last week, in front of a packed and appreciative industry crowd, MIAL said.

Introducing the awards MIAL chairman, Allen Dobie, noted that “While this evening is a celebration of our industry as a collective, an association like MIAL is only as strong as the collective it represents and the relationships it is able to forge through the expertise and dedication of its team; there is always a need for individual leadership and excellence to drive positive outcomes and clear the path for a better way forward.”

Mr Dobie introduced Ms Lloyd, as a Naval Architect for whom the industry, protection of the marine environment, and a driven dedication to seafarer welfare – demonstrated ferociously throughout the pandemic – are at the forefront of her thinking and actions.

“Ms Lloyd led ASA and then MIAL as its CEO through industry change and evolution, with 19 years of dedicated service including representing MIAL with the same passion, eloquence and intellect for which she is widely recognised whether it be at a stakeholder round table or in the plenary of an ILO/IMO conference,” he added.

Upon receiving her award, Ms Lloyd, who is now Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer at Carnival Australia, reflected fondly on her years with MIAL.

“It broke my heart to leave MIAL but I knew I was leaving it in capable hands. Angela [Gilham] and the team are doing precisely what needs to be done for our industry,” she said.

Introducing the evening’s second Honorary Award recipient, Mr Dobie referenced the vital role played by AMSA: “As an industry we recognise our social licence to operate is a critical part of the communities and stakeholders who utilise and rely on maritime operations. We have a very large coastline with a huge shipping task, and sadly for most of us here, a small industry compared to thriving maritime nations in Europe and Asia.

“None the less the Australian community relies on our industry operating safely and being regulated by an experienced, professional, and pragmatic leader with whom industry can work to achieve outcomes,” he said.

Mr Dobie said that from his early career as an engineer cadet and seafarer with BHP, Mick Kinley joined AMSA as a marine surveyor – occupying various operationally critical roles prior to being appointed as Deputy CEO in 2008 and CEO in 2014.

“Mick and his team have always had an open door to MIAL and its members,” he said, “and while we may not have always been happy with the outcome of those discussions we could always be assured of a reasonable hearing.”

“As an industry, your stewardship through a time of great change, including the single national jurisdiction, is demonstrative of your passion for the maritime sector. You have as CEO of AMSA supported efforts to improve the lot of the Australian maritime industry, and for that we would be delighted if you would accept this award,” said Mr Dobie.

Upon receiving his award, Mr Kinley said that he never once regretted coming ashore to join AMSA. 

Like Ms Lloyd, Mr Kinley also expressed great passion for the industry and issued something of a rallying cry as he reflected upon his time with the regulator. 

“What is it we love about AMSA?” he asked the audience. “They get stuff done!” 

MIAL noted that Mr Kinley’s enthusiasm revved up the crowd and ‘they get stuff done*’ became the buzzword for Day 2 of MIAL’s conference.

MIAL Honorary Membership Awards are intended to recognise individuals who have made great contributions to the Australian maritime industry as well as supported the objectives of MIAL and its members. Honorary memberships have been previously bestowed on long serving MIAL CEO, Lachlan Payne, and past board members and chairpersons, Noel Hart and David Sterrett, as part of MIAL’s 120-year celebrations.

*Note that some may recall a different choice of noun, but everyone agreed it started with an ‘s’, MIAL said.