A message from the editor

Lloyd's List’s Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards have coincided with the rise of the region’s importance in shipping. One of the unexpected developments of the shipping crisis has been the sustainability of trade between Asia and the Middle East, and the resilience of many of the shipping concerns in the region.

The Middle East is buoyed by the rise of the great Asian economies to the east, the presence of one of the great trading centres in Europe, and, increasingly, the steady emergence of Africa as the world’s future economic growth zone. Shipowners and those industry players that support them have not wasted time during the crisis steering close to established business practices. Many of the region’s shipping companies have embraced innovation and change and have proved aggressive at seizing new trade opportunities. Some port development has continued, despite the economic troubles experienced by Dubai. A long term vision seems to be alive in the region regarding the development of maritime clusters, looking to such peers as Singapore for a model.

Success in shipping has always required a happy confluence of vision, experience and timing. Individuals and companies in the Middle East and India are struggling to harness these attributes as the global market lurches from its long slump. They are beginning to take their position as industry leaders. This makes the timing of this year's Lloyd’s List Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards particularly opportune. We will convene on 10 November at the Madinat Jumeirah Dubai to give awards in 15 categories in which the shipping's outstanding companies and individuals in the region have shown distinction.

Weighing and evaluating the entries will be a daunting task, but one that our panel of judges always takes with huge commitment. The response to our call for entries in the Middle East and South Asia has been growing every year and we anticipate a strong and competitive turnout in 2010. I extend this invitation to all parties in the maritime industry to bring forward your best and apply.

I look forward to a spectacular evening when we will celebrate those in the industry who are making outstanding contributions today and are destined to achieve even more in the future.

Good luck - and see you at the Middle Eastern and Indian Subcontinent Awards in Dubai.

Tom Leander
Editorial Director, Lloyd’s List