On 16 May 2024, maritime industry professionals will gather once again at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London, for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects’ (RINA) highly anticipated Annual Dinner.
The RINA Annual Dinner is a cornerstone event that garners widespread Institution members and the wider maritime industry alike. In 2023, the occasion hosted more than 80 esteemed companies and 300 distinguished guests.
Sponsored by Shipglide and Burner Fire Control, the RINA Annual Dinner 2024 promises to be an unmissable affair. The event encompasses an awards ceremony, networking drinks reception, and a sumptuous dinner, promising attendees an evening brimming with recognition, networking, and insights. RINA is also proud to announce the selected charity for the event will be the International Seafarers' Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN).
The Principal Guest & Speaker at the RINA Annual Dinner 2024 will be Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, recently elected as Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). A naval architect by training, Mr Dominguez spent his formative years as a port engineer in his native Panama before joining the Panama Maritime Authority, eventually becoming Panama's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to IMO. In 2017, he joined IMO itself as Chief of Staff and later Director of the Administrative Division. Subsequently as Director of the Marine Environment Division (2022-23), his achievements included chairing MEPC and leading the Technical Committee during the IMO Assembly’s 25th session. A passionate advocate for issues such as seafarers rights and environmental protection, Mr. Dominguez’s invaluable insights are guaranteed to be a highlight of the Annual Dinner.
Expertly hosting the RINA Annual Dinner 2024 will be renowned broadcaster and journalist Craig Eason. Himself a former mariner, Eason's extensive experience includes seagoing roles on tankers, gas carriers, container vessels, ro-ro vessels, and offshore platforms from 1985 to 1996. After freelancing as a radio producer and reporter in the UK, he later returned to the maritime sector and in November 2023 he joined publication TradeWinds as its new Technology Editor. Eason's renowned industry knowledge promises dynamic compering of the event.
Catriona Savage, President of RINA, comments: “In my second year as President of the Institution, it gives me great pleasure to be able to host our members and distinguished guests at this event. Our refreshed and reinvigorated event in 2023 received such positive feedback that we will be revisiting the De Vere venue and I can’t think of a more relevant speaker than Arsenio Dominguez, regardless of what your maritime interests may be.“
Chris Boyd, Chief Executive of RINA, adds: “The 2024 Annual Dinner celebrates the remarkable achievements and contributions of our members and the maritime community as a whole. The evening is sure to stand as a testament to excellence, innovation, and collaboration, allowing our members to come together and enjoy our flagship that embodies the spirit of Naval Architecture and Maritime Engineering.”
The RINA Annual Dinner is open to all interested parties, including members of RINA, other professional institutions, and the wider maritime industry. Registration for the event is open, and further details can be found on the RINA website:
https://rina.org.uk/events/events-programme/annual-dinner-2024-2/
