Privately-owned companies have dominated this year’s Maldives Boating Awards, Liveaboard Association of Maldives’ (LAM) annual awards event.

The event was Sunday night at the ‘Dharubaaruge’ in capital city Malé, with Tourism Minsiter Ali Waheed conferring the awards, and Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail as chief guest.

Awards were given in 27 categories this year:

1. Liveaboard Operator Of The Year - Voyages Maldives
2. Liveaboard Brand Of The Year - Carpe Diem Maldives
3. Bunkering & Fuel Supplier Of The Year - The Hawks
4. Best Liveaboard Yacht Built - LEO Safari, Refcool Travels and Tours
5. Best Surf Safari - Horizon 2, Blue Horizon
6. Most Preferred Marine Equipment Supplier Of The Year - D Blue Marine
7. Most Preferred Marine Paint Of The Year - International Marine Paint, SEAGULL MARINE
8. Most Preferred Marine Engine Of The Year (Outboard) - YAMAHA, Alia
9. Best Dive Safari - Sachika, Sachika Maldives
10. Best Fishing Safari - Dolphin 1, Blue k Safari Maldives
11. Best Crew Team - Marselia Star
12. Captain Of The Year - Captain Mohamed Naseer, Horizon 3, Blue Horizon
13. Best Boat Design - Scubaspa Yang, Scubaspa Maldives
14. Best Production Fiberglass 5 – 25m - Guaranteed Fiberglass Fabrication
15. Best Production Fiberglass 27 – 40m - Al Shaali Marine Maldives
16. Best Production Fiberglass 26 – 40m - Meq Boat Yard
17. Marine Engineering Service Provider Of The Year - VAM &Co, Hulhumalé
18. Dockyard Slipway Of The Year - Al Shaali Marine Maldives
19. Best Liveaboard Yacth Builder - Waterline Maldives
20. Liveaboard Travel Agent Tour Operator Of The Year - Maldives Holiday Collections
21. Most Preferred Marine Engine Brand Of The Year (Main Engine) - Yanmar, MTCC
22. Most Preferred Marine Generator Brand Of The Year - Sole' Diesel, D Blue Marine
23. Most Preferred Insurance Service Provider - Allied Insurance
24. Marine industry Of The Year - Maldives Marine Expo
25. Boating Personality Of The Year - Ismail Hameed
26. Dive Guide Of The Year - Fathuhulla Ahmed, Dune Maldives
27. Surf Guide Of The Year - Ahmed Mauroof, The Perfect Travel Group

LAM secretary-general Mohamed Ignaz said that they aim to ‘recognize the strength of boating industry and services provided by companies’.

The 2017 Maldives Boating Awards included 20 categories.