Prasheen Maharaj, the CEO of KwaZulu-Natal based shipbuilding company Sandock Austral Shipyards, scooped the 2021/22 Maritime Review Africa Blue Economy Champion award.
The award recognises individuals in the maritime sector that influence the positive trajectory of South Africa’s Blue Economy by developing or mentoring new talent; work as activists to improve the maritime landscape for new entrants; work outside of their job description to build capacity or grow the opportunities in the sector, and who are recognised as maritime experts in their field with significant influence and following.
Speaking at the virtual award announcement, Maharaj said he was honoured to receive the award as all the nominees were worthy of being winners.
Maharaj said that the value system he embodied at Sandock Austral Shipyards was encapsulated in the acronym, Spear – Safety, Perseverance, Excellence, Achievement and Reward.
“No other industry epitomises those values more than the maritime industry because we have been beating and banging on doors and really trying so hard to make it to where we are today as an industry, because the maritime industry is a global industry.
“In terms of global competitiveness, one cannot be anything less than excellent in order to be a formidable competitor and a successful competitor in the global arena.
“So for me two things come out of the value system and that is perseverance and excellence. Especially for where we are in the southern tip of Africa, so far removed from the rest of the world, we don't realise but we've got to try doubly harder than everyone else to be successful as a maritime economy.
“Perseverance is important in the maritime industry as it is truly a global industry, and excellence plays its role. And as important, you've got to lift as you rise because we need to build a big maritime economy. So you got to pick others up as you rise,” Maharaj said.
He went on to thank his team at Sandock Austral Shipyards who, he said, lived and breathed the company ethos of “being in business for the greater good”.
According to Maritime Review Africa, Maharaj had demonstrated his ability to get to the core of issues facing the maritime engineering sector over the years.
Citing some of his leadership attributes, the publication said that Maharaj was active on social media platforms where he was not afraid to tackle contentious issues.
Colleen Jacka, of Maritime Review Africa, said the industry was integral to the potential growth of South Africa’s economy and improved job creation and there were individuals that were contributing to these efforts. The Blue Economy Champion Awards aimed to recognise and encourage this.
“I am satisfied that Prasheen, as our inaugural winner, not only deserves the award, but will be inspired to do even more in his personal capacity. Involved in the marine engineering sector, he is well-positioned to influence a sub-sector that has the potential to employ more artisans and help upskill the engineering capacity of the country.
“He has already indicated that he would like to invite the 10 finalists to sit around a table to engage on future interventions that will assist the growth of the sectors. This is exactly the type of impact we hoped that the initiative would have and I am extremely proud to have been able to identify significant talent within the maritime space through this process. Much recognition should also go to our judging panel and to our sponsor, African Marine Solutions,” she said,
Maharaj is known as a conscious capitalist and is a believer that business should contribute to the greater good of society. He sits on the boards of the Durban Chamber of Commerce, eThekwini Maritime Cluster and Aerospace Marine Defence Industry Body.
IOL