The seventh Seatrade Insider Cruise Awards were presented at the Seatrade Europe 2013 Opening Conference session at Hamburg Messe.
Cruise Copenhagen Network (Destination of the Year), Port Everglades (Port of the Year), INTERSCHALT Maritime Systems (Supplier of the Year), Green Tech Marine (Environmental Initiative), and A&K/Akorn (Innovative Shorex) were all honoured as winners in the seventh Seatrade Insider Cruise Awards, principal sponsor Fidelio Cruise, presented at the Seatrade Europe 2013 Opening Conference session at Hamburg Messe.
In addition, Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises, was named European Cruise Personality of the Year 2013, an award sponsored by V. Ships Leisure and selected by Seatrade and V. Ships Leisure from nominations received.
In selecting Mr Vago for this prestigious award, Seatrade Insider editor Mary Bond said, ceo of MSC Cruises Pierfrancesco Vago “has guided the business through a series of strategic moves which has seen the fleet grow three-fold through a 6 billion Euros new build programme, with the most recent new vessel MSC Preziosa, launched earlier this year”.
His leadership of over 15,500 employees in 45 countries is dynamic, open-minded and characterised by a focus on team building.’
On presenting the Award to Mr Vago, Per Bjornsen, Commercial Director of b, said ‘V.Ships Leisure sponsor this award in the memory of the late Mauro Terrevazzi who was the chairman of V.Ships Leisure and a visionary of the modern cruise industry. It is with great pleasure to honour Pierfrancesco Vago. “Under his leadership MSC Cruises has developed to become the world’s largest privately owned cruise line. This has been achieved through the implementation of a clearly defined strategy with enough flexibility to adapt when the right opportunity arises.”
On receiving the award, Pierfranceso Vago said “I am deeply honoured to have been selected by Seatrade Insider as the European Personality of the Year, especially as it comes at such a crucial moment for me and the company I’ve been leading for 10 years. MSC Cruises has worked its way through this complex business, making giant steps in a short amount of time. We’ve grown-up and grown strong, creating a successful company – now the world’s third largest cruise line – along the way. Today’s award is the symbol of that success.”
Photo caption: Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises (center), was named European Cruise Personality of the Year 2013.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
