Nautilus wins Silver Award at Association Excellence Awards 2023 for Best Lobbying Campaign

Nautilus International is proud to have won the Silver Award for Best Lobbying Campaign at the Association Excellence Awards, held in London on Friday 3 November.

The award recognises the Union's campaign to end the Offshore Wind Workers Concession (OWWC), a UK government scheme that allowed companies in the sector to skip the usual post-Brexit immigration restrictions and employ foreign nationals to join vessels engaged in the construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms. It discouraged employers from training UK maritime professionals and providing good job opportunities in the country's coastal communities. In April 2023, after six years, the concession was brought to an end after tireless campaigning from Nautilus.

The judges commented that the campaign was 'absolutely bang on the target for Nautilus members – a clear problem that was brought to them by members, with good public affairs engagement securing the outcome members needed', and a 'textbook example of the value of dogged determination to do right by your members'.

In addition, Nautilus was shortlisted for best blog, podcast or video for the podcast 'Offcourse: A sideways look at life at sea'.

Nautilus International's yacht team was also shortlisted in the same week for the award for maritime professional services at the Mersey Maritime Industry Awards.