WINNERS OF “MARPOL at 50: Preventing Marine Pollution” ART CONTEST ANNOUNCED

Weston, CT – NAMEPA is thrilled to announce two grand prize winners and 10 finalists have been selected from 78 entries in the 2023 MARPOL at 50: Preventing Marine Pollution calendar art contest sponsored by the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States (CIP-OAS). Each year, these organizations invite students in grades K-12 throughout the Americas to create an original poster that creatively reflects the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) World Maritime Day theme. A 2024 bilingual calendar showcasing the winning entries will be printed in both English and Spanish.

This year, students were asked to submit an original poster that creatively depicts the history and importance of protecting the planet and the ocean from the impact of shipping and to showcase their artistic talent and commitment to preserving our oceans and planet.

The Torrey Canyon oil spill in 1967, the largest oil disaster at the time, was one of the key moments that led to the development of the MARPOL Convention, in force since 1973. Today, MARPOL helps prevent pollution of the sea by:

MARPOL Annex I oil,
MARPOL Annex II- noxious liquid substances in bulk,
MARPOL Annex III- harmful substances in packaged form,
MARPOL Annex IV sewage
MARPOL Annex V garbage from ships, and

MARPOL Annex VI air pollution from ship emissions, and regulation of energy efficient.

Students had the opportunity to channel their creativity into artistic representations that highlight the history and significance of the MARPOL Convention, commemorating its origins in response to the Torrey Canyon oil spill in 1967. By showcasing their unique perspectives, young artists will be inspiring global communities to work together in preserving the oceans for generations to come.

The winning artwork will be featured on NAMEPA, USCG, and CIP-OAS websites, and be displayed at NAMEPA Annual Conference and Awards Dinner. Finalists will receive a certificate and a calendar with the artwork from all 12 winners. Two grand-prize winning artists (one from each of the grade brackets) will receive, in addition to the certificate and calendar, a $100 cash prize and a USCG prize package.

We extend our sincere appreciation to our esteemed partners, the United States Coast Guard and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of the American States, for their invaluable support in making this contest possible, and a big thank you to our panel of judges for reviewing each submission.

To view the winning MARPOL at 50: Preventing Maritime Pollution artwork, visit www.namepa.net/art-contest or to request physical copies email education@namepa.net

First Place Winner: Alina W., Grade 11, Ontario, Canada

Second Place Winner: Benjamin S., Grade 4, Indiana, USA

Finalists

Grades K-5:

Serena W., Kindergarten, Michigan, USA
Sophia C., Kindergarten, Florida, USA
Sharon G., Grade 2, Florida, USA
Abigail C., Grade 3, New York, USA
Elishka L., Grade 4, Pennsylvania, USA

Grades 6-12:

Aditya Y., Grade 6, Michigan, USA
Jonathan S., Grade 7, Indiana, USA
Liam D., Grade 7, Pennsylvania, USA
Neema J., Grade 7, Maryland, USA
Joanna M., Grade 7, Pennsylvania, USA

About the North American Marine Environment Protection Association

The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is a marine industry-led organization of environmental stewards preserving the marine environment by promoting sustainable marine industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. For more information visit www.namepa.net.

About the United States Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the five armed forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1790 the Coast Guard has safeguarded our maritime and environmental interests around the world. The Coast Guard is an adaptable, responsive military force of maritime professionals whose broad legal authorities, capable assets, geographic diversity and expansive partnerships provide a persistent presence along our rivers, in the ports, littoral regions and on the high seas. Coast Guard presence and impact is local, regional, national and international. These attributes make the Coast Guard a unique instrument of maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.uscg.mil.

About the Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States (OAS)

The Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States (OAS) brings together the National Port Authorities of all 35 sovereign nations of the Americas. CIP promotes competitive, sustainable, inclusive and secure maritime sector development by facilitating policy dialogue at the highest governmental and corporate levels. With close to 100 public and private members representing leading institutions from the maritime industry, CIP strengthens, in collaboration with its partners, institutional and human capacities through seminars, workshops, conferences, courses and scholarship programs. CIP priority areas include, in addition to promoting the protection of the marine environment and sustainable port management practices, competitiveness and logistics; protection and security; tourism and services to ships; legislation and regulation; and CSR and gender equality. For more information, visit http://portalcip.org/.