Capt. Mustafa Nejem Named Double Winner at the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards

Master Mariner earns Gold for maritime sustainability and innovation and Bronze for thought leadership

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — (ARAB NEWSWIRE) — At a time when global shipping is redefining efficiency and environmental responsibility, Mustafa Nejem, Master Mariner, Managing Director, Chartered Manager and author, has been named a double winner in the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards.

Nejem was named a Gold Stevie® Winner in the Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to Sustainability for “Outstanding Individual Contribution to Maritime Sustainability and Innovation.” He was also named a Bronze Stevie® Winner in the Thought Leader of the Year category for “Global Thought Leader in Maritime Sustainability, Innovation, and Inclusive Leadership.”

Nejem takes an integrated approach to maritime sustainability, linking environmental progress with operational excellence and human capability. His work brings together energy management, safety, seafarer wellbeing and informed decision-making to support a more resilient and responsible shipping industry.

“Sustainability in shipping is not a slogan or a statement of intent. It is a standard of leadership,” Nejem said. “It shows in how we manage energy, develop people, build trust and take responsibility for the impact of our work.”

With leadership experience at sea and executive responsibility ashore, Nejem works across maritime operations, sustainability, innovation and inclusive leadership. His books include “The Green Wave: Embracing Renewable Energy in Maritime Shipping” and “The Inclusive Leader: Embracing Diversity for Organizational Excellence.” Through SeaMentor, his digital platform, he supports practical learning around seafarer wellbeing, safety and environmental awareness.

The recognition follows Nejem’s Maritime Youth Award at the Saudi Maritime Awards Night 2026 in Jeddah, as well as a Bronze Stevie® Award at the 2025 International Business Awards.

The seventh annual Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards recognized winners from 15 countries. More than 1,400 nominations in Arabic and English were evaluated by 155 professionals worldwide. Gold and Bronze winners will be celebrated at the awards gala in Istanbul on 11 September 2026.

About Mustafa Nejem

Mustafa Nejem is a Master Mariner, Managing Director of Nautical Green Maritime S.A., Chartered Manager, maritime author and advocate for responsible leadership. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Institute of Consulting, and an Associate Fellow of The Nautical Institute.

He holds an LL.M. in International Commercial Law from the University of Salford; a Global MBA from Abertay University; an Executive MBA in Business Analytics from UCAM, Spain; and MSc degrees in Fleet Management and Maritime Business from Southampton Solent University. He also holds a Master Mariner Certificate of Competency. His research has addressed maritime finance, data-driven decision-making in global maritime business, sustainable shipping and crew welfare.

He is the founder of SeaMentor and Nejem Books. More information: www.nejembooks.com | www.seamentor.app

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This press release is issued through Arab Newswire (www.arabnewswire.com) — a press release distribution service for the Arab World, Middle East and North Africa (MENA).