#IEAexportAwards – At this year’s IEA Export Industry Awards, the winner in the category of Maritime Services Company of the Year, sponsored by the Irish Maritime Development Office went to Irish Continental Group’s Container & Terminal Division.

The division includes the intermodal shipping line Eucon as well ICG’s container terminals operated through their Dublin Ferryport Terminals (DFT) and in Belfast Container Terminal (BCT). Within the division, a fleet of time chartered container vessels ranging in size from 400 – 1,000TEU capacity (teu = twenty foot equivalent unit, the standard measure in the container industry).

Among the fleet, Elbetrader (pictured above) Afloat adds is currently docked in Rotterdam having sailed from ICG’s Dublin DFT terminal. The Cypriot flagged containership has a 974TEU capacity that includes reefer plugs for 170 – 110 located on deck with the balance of 60 stowed in the cargo hold within the ships overall 139m length.

This was the 17th year of the Export Industry Awards, the premier event of the Irish Exporters Association (IEA) that recognises the remarkable achievements of companies working in the export industry in Ireland. The Association assists its members to grow their exports to world markets.

The awards ceremony and gala dinner was attended by more than 500 export industry professionals took place on Friday at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin. There were 11 companies that won individual category awards across a range of sectors. Kildare based Irish Dog Foods was crowned the overall Exporter of the Year Award 2017 after winning the Medium Size Exporter of the Year Award category earlier in the evening.

Irish comedian Mario Rosenstock MC’d the black tie evening. Asides those from within the industry, guests included Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Higher Education, representatives from over 25 Embassies, Secretary Generals and Awards sponsors.

The Export Industry Awards 2017 is supported by a number of corporate and industry sponsors. Platinum Sponsors: Bank of Ireland, Etihad Airways, KPMG, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business and supportive Category sponsors Bord Bia, Dixon International Logistics, Enterprise Ireland, Facebook, GS1 Ireland, Irish Maritime Development Office and media partner The Times.