Following an exceptional response to the “Wind Ship – the Future” poster design contest, with inspiring artwork submitted by budding young artists from more than 10 countries, the public voting portal has opened for industry stakeholders and the general public to choose their favourite windship poster designs across each age category.

The youth poster design contest is an initiative launched by the International Windship Association (IWSA) in partnership with Nantes Saint Nazaire Développement and Association Wind Ship.

Around 100 entries have been received from young artists worldwide aged between two and seventeen years old. Twelve winners will be chosen by a select jury of maritime and environmental leaders, through a public vote, and by voting conducted by IWSA members.

The judging jury comprises several high-level representatives from the maritime industry, political representatives and environmental leaders included her Excellency Kitlang Kabua, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Catherine Chabaud, Sailor, Journalist & EU MEP, from the political field.

Judges from the shipping and renewable energy industries include Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General at BIMCO, Dmitriy Ponkratov, Technical Director at the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, David Bolduc, President at Green Marine, Lydia Ngugi, Maritime Lawyer & Head of IMO Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre – Africa, Michael Razack, Project Manager at IMO Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre – Caribbean and Stefan Gsänger, Secretary General at the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA).

Judges from the research and education fields include Alban Salmon, Directeur at Chez Lycee Professionnel Maritime Jacques Cassard, Dagmar Nelissen, Senior Researcher at CE Delft, Isabelle Rojon, Maritime Transport Specialist at the World Bank, Simon Bullock, Climate Change Researcher at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Manchester University.

Judges from a selection of sustainability, environmental initiatives and NGOs include Boris Herrmann, Skipper of Team Malizia, Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and CEO of NAMEPA, Marin Lesage, Children for the Oceans Ambassador and Sage Belgrave, Peace Boat’s Ocean and Climate Youth Ambassador Programme Alumni.

Judges from the maritime trade media include Apostolos Belokas, Managing Editor at SAFETY4SEA, Craig Eason, Editorial Director at Fathom.World and Lesley Bankes-Hughes, Director of Publishing at Petrospot.

IWSA Secretary General, Gavin Allwright will officially open the public vote during a virtual event on Thursday 8th June at 10.00 BST as part of the World Ocean Day celebrations.

“The youth poster design contest theme of ‘Wind Ship – The Future’ was selected to encourage young artists to create a poster or a short, animated video that would transport us to a future where all commercial ships are powered by the pure, zero-emissions energy of the wind. Winners will be announced on Friday, 23rd June, ahead of critical meetings to set the future of shipping at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, and what better way to help those delegates to embrace a clean, green and sustainable future for shipping. We have been delighted to receive so many imaginative, colourful and inspirational posters – we think that even before the vote all of these are winners in their own right!” says Gavin Allwright, IWSA Secretary General

The deadline for the public voting period is Sunday 18th June.

All submitted entries to the “Wind Ship – the Future” poster design contest will be hosted permanently in a virtual gallery. Winning and runners-up artwork will be displayed at IWSA events all around the world.