Global Maritime Consultancy has Received Two Prestigious Awards

A global maritime consultancy’s leading light has received two prestigious awards for more than 60 years of long service.

Capt. John M Cox III, who is president of The Maritime Group Inc., and chairman of The Maritime Group (International) Ltd, was honored recently with a Distinguished Alumni Award by the California Maritime Academy.

In a separate accolade, he was also named Maritime Person of the Year by the Council of American Master Mariners (CAMM).

The Pacific North West (PNW) Chapter of CAMM recognized Capt. Cox’s achievements in bringing ‘honor and prestige’ to the maritime community at a special ceremony in Seattle.

Capt. Cox, 85, founded The Maritime Group (TMG) in 1990 and led its growth into a global consultancy with offices in London, Seattle, Honolulu, Brisbane, Singapore and Durban. He lives in Seattle.

He said: “It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by my fellow mariners and peers in such a wonderful way.

“I’ve had a checkerboard sort of career and count myself fortunate to have worked with so many skilled and dedicated colleagues.

“My deepest gratitude to CAMM and the California Maritime Academy, and I look forward to many more years of service to the maritime community.”

As well as his position at the helm of TMG, Capt. Cox is also part-owner, chairman and chief executive of the Black Ball Ferry Line. The company operates the long serving US flagged ferry MV Coho on routes in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.

Capt. Richard J Klein, who is president of the PNW chapter of CAMM, presented Capt. Cox with the CAMM award.

Capt. Cox’s citation by the Seattle PNW CAMM paid tribute to his ‘lifelong service in the US Merchant Marine both afloat and ashore’.

It also recognized his ‘tireless and successful effort to preserve Black Ball Ferry Line and the MV Coho’ for bringing ‘honor and prestige to the Pacific Northwest Maritime community’.

Capt. Cox has 63 years of experience after graduating from the California Maritime Academy in 1952.

His citation stated that he was ‘highly knowledgeable in the management and operations of cruise ship and Ro-Ro passenger vessels, and of shoreside marine terminals and facilities’.

Malcolm W Parrott, who is TMG managing director and executive vice-president, said: “Our heartfelt congratulations go to Captain Cox on receiving such prestigious awards.

“They are well-deserved and fitting honors for such a dedicated, skilled and popular master mariner.”

Since forming TMG in 1990, Capt. Cox has been involved in consultation work worldwide involving cruise, ferry and terminal operations as well as port development and operational and financial matters.

TMG is a global consortium of marine consultancies, management companies and maritime professionals with many years of experience in ship operations at sea and ashore.

Its experts include marine engineers, port civil engineers, port planners, port operators, economists, environmentalists, financial experts, maritime lawyers, ship brokers, traffic experts, naval architects, port architects, surveyors for ports and vessels, marketing experts, security experts and IT experts.