OREANDA-NEWS. July 13, 2012. YOUR chance to shine, said the entry form to this year's Lloyd's List Global Awards – and shine you did.

When we urged you to enter the Lloyd's List Global Shipping Awards earlier this year there were some who questioned whether the grim economic conditions facing the shipping industry were conducive to entering awards.

It seems those concerns were misplaced.

The Lloyd's List awards have this year received well over double the number of entries compared to last year – itself a record-breaking year and the quality was high in all categories.

Innovation was displayed in abundance, astute investments were highlighted for all to see and companies of all sizes from all sectors did their best to ensure that their proudest achievements will be recognised for the entire industry to see, come September 26.

As we have said before, some awards are important and necessary because they reward successful endeavour in the face of seemingly intractable problems. They provide bragging rights, yes, but also set standards.

The judges for this year's awards were unanimously impressed with the achievements represented in the entries. From technical innovation and efficiency to agenda-setting deals and savvy business decisions, the submissions were indicative of an industry working above and beyond expectations.

The day-long session of deliberations that ensued proved to be one of the toughest judging sessions yet.

Whittling down a shortlist from so many entries necessarily meant leaving many deserving companies out – a process that generated some heated debate amongst the panel.

The resulting list represents the best of the best and those who have made the final cut should feel proud to have made the grade. For those who did not, we can only offer our condolences that you were pitted against such a volume of high-quality competitors and urge you to make another pitch next year.

The competition is fierce precisely because winning the industry's most sought-after accolade sets you apart from your rivals and is a tangible demonstration to your customers that you have something unique to offer.

Recognition among your peers is certainly a motivating factor to enter, but our past winners have also reported a tangible boost to business and marketing that money just cannot buy as welcome side-effect of success at the Lloyd's List Global Awards.

So when the ultimate winners are announced at London's Lancaster Hotel on Wednesday 26 September and the smiling executives take to the stage to collect their gongs you can be sure that theirs has been a hard-won victory that means something.

For now, the Lloyd's List team would like to congratulate everyone who has made the shortlist and we look forward to seeing you in September for what promises to be a night worth celebrating.