INTERNATIONAL Chamber of Shipping director of employment affairs Natalie Shaw has been named a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.
The award recognises Ms Shaw’s efforts in driving the repatriation of seafarers stranded onboard vessels and on foreign shores during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Shaw was commended for acting as the lynchpin for diplomatic, logistical, and operational efforts in navigating the wave of restrictions preventing the free movement of seafarers.
Moreover, her support for seafarers during the crew change crisis was highlighted as a driving force behind the continuation of global trade.
Paying tribute to industry colleagues and seafarers’ welfare providers, Ms Shaw highlighted the instrumental role the IMO and ILO play in amplifying the needs of seafarers.
“As a global sector, the support of the International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization to ensure that seafarers needs were placed on the international agenda, has been integral,” she said.
International Chamber of Shipping secretary general Guy Platten said Ms Shaw had worked tirelessly over the past two years to ensure seafarers were not overlooked.
“This recognition of her contribution to the maritime sector, during the pandemic and over many years, is so well deserved,” he said.
In addition to her work during COVID-19, Ms Shaw has acted as the shipowner co-ordinator on issues such as the ILO minimum wage, crew claims and abandonment, fair treatment, piracy, and seafarer medical issues.
