AMERICAN CARIBBEAN MARITIME FOUNDATION

THE ACMF, JUST AFTER A FEW SHORT YEARS, HAS TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF ASPIRING CARIBBEAN SEAFARERS AND MARITIME PROFESSIONALS, AND THOUSANDS WHO HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE CLASSROOM WE HELPED TO FUND, AND THE EQUIPMENT DONATED BY THE FOUNDATION. IN 2024, THE ACMF SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED ITS SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT AWARD PROGRAM. IN 2018, IT WAS THIRTEEN (13) AND GREW TO TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE (289) IN 2024. WE LAUNCHED A DIGITAL SCHOLARSHIP PORTAL, WHICH, WHEN ADDED TO OUR DIGITAL JOBS BOARD (EXCLUSIVELY FOR CARIBBEAN MARITIME GRADUATES) LAUNCHED IN THE PREVIOUS YEARMAKES OUR DELIVERY OF SERVICES MORE SEAMLESS AND EFFICIENT. OUR WORK WITH MAJOR SHIPPING COMPANIES SERVING THE CARIBBEAN RESULTED IN UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING EXPANDING OUR CRUISE PARTNERSHIPS TO ROYAL CARIBBEAN, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, MSC, AND CARNIVAL. WE HOSTED OUR FIRST FORMAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM IN JAMAICA IN COLLABORATION WITH THE US EMBASSY IN KINGSTON, PRESIDED OVER BY THE US AMBASSADOR, AND ATTENDED BY MARITIME AUTHORITY LEADERS, STUDENTS, ACADEMIC PARTNERS FROM JAMAICA AND GUYANA. BEARING IN MIND THAT WE ARE APPROACHING OUR TENTH ANNIVERSARY IN 2027, WE HELD TWO STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS TO ASSESS OUR OPERATIONS AND IMPACT AND GET INPUT FROM THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY AS TO HOW TO BETTER DELIVER ON OUR MISSION AND SERVE THE INDUSTRY. WE BEGAN EFFORTS TO EXPAND OUR COUNTRY NETWORK TO INCLUDE BELIZE IN THE 2024. OUR FOCUS GOING FORWARD IS "TALENT IN OUR BACKYARD". WOMEN CONTINUE TO BE UNDER-REPRESENTED AT SENIOR LEVELS IN THE MARITIME FIELD AND WE HAVE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT THEY RECEIVE THE KIND OF SUPPORT THEY NEED TO GET ACCESS TO MARITIME ACADEMIC TRAINING. THEY CONTINUE TO BE A FOCUS OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT AWARDS-WHEREIN 50% OF OUR SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AWARDED TO THEM. WE CAPPED OFF 2024 WITH THE ANNUAL ANCHOR AWARDS IN DECEMBER HONORING TWO LEADERS FROM THE CRUISE AND CARGO SECTORS. THE EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER TOP BRASS OF THE CRUISE AND CARGO SHIPPING INDUSTRY, AND MARITIME PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN, PANAMA, EUROPE AND UNITED STATES. THE ACMF IS SUCCEEDING IN ITS MISSION TO TRANSFORM LIVES OF THE CARIBBEAN YOUTH THROUGH MARITIME EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT. TO DATE, WE HAVE AWARDED 289 SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS TO STUDENTS FROM JAMAICA, BAHAMAS, GRENADA, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, GUYANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, SURINAME, AND ST. LUCIA. THE AVERAGE GPA OF OUR SCHOLARS IS 3.2; AND TWO OF OUR SCHOLARS WERE HONORED AS VALEDICTORIANS. WE HAVE ALSO FUNDED SEA TIME FOR SEVERAL STUDENTS AND CREATED A UNIQUE JOBS BOARD PLATFORM THAT IS FREE TO USE TO OUR GRADUATES. THE PLATFORM HAS REGISTERED ALMOST 300 CADETS, AND SEVERAL CRUISE AND CARGO COMPANIES HAVE HIRED CADETS FROM THE PLATFORM. THE ACMF HOSTED ITS SEVENTH ANCHOR AWARDS HONORING LAURA HODGES BETHGE, PRESIDENT OF CELEBRITY CRUISES AND CARLOS URRIOLA, CHAIRMAN SSA MARINE MIT (PANAMA). THE ACMF HAS SIGNED ON THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIC PARTNERS: WOMEN IN MARITIME CARIBBEAN (WIMAC), CARIBBEAN SHIPPING ASSOCIATION, AND THE SHIPPING ASSOCIATION OF BARBADOS.