Jim Lawrence Presented with Coast Guard’s Distinguished Public Service Award at CMA Shipping

Jim Lawrence is presented with the U.S. Coast Guard’s Distinguished Public Service Award in recognition of his 30 years spent in the industry. Photo courtesy CMA Shipping 2019

Rear Adm. John Nadeau, assistant commandant of prevention policy, and Mr. Jeff Lantz, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, presented a Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award April 2, 2019 to Mr. James R. Lawrence during the 34th Connecticut Maritime Association’s Shipping Conference.

Lawrence, who currently serves as chairman of MTI USA and is president and a founding partner of MTI Network, was recognized for his outstanding leadership, support and contribution to international shipping from 1987 to the present.

The award, which Nadeau presented on behalf of the Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz, recognized Mr. Lawrence as the driving force behind the Connecticut Maritime Association’s annual Shipping Conference, the United States’ pre-eminent international shipping conference.

Nadeau further commended Lawrence for his role in bringing together key members of the international shipping community to foster forward-looking consideration of not only the issues and their impacts on shipping, but also solutions to the most vexing problems. Lawrence ensured the CMA Shipping Conference addressed the most critical and important regulatory initiatives facing shipping including the phase out of single hull tankers, bulk carrier safety, maritime security and the ISPS Code and more recently ballast water and the 2020 sulfur limit.

“He inclusively brought world-renowned leaders and experts from the maritime industry as well as the regulatory and the financial sectors. Most importantly, he never lost sight of shipping’s most important resource, the mariners, as he diligently ensured their voices were included,” Nadeau continued. “Throughout his tenure, Mr. Lawrence has been a tireless supporter of international shipping and its value to the United States and the world, diligently advocating that shipping, as an international business, needs well understood and consistent international solutions. His dedication, professionalism, and unwavering support for the maritime community are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.”

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