Massachusetts Maritime Academy, in partnership with RelyOn Nutec, a provider of safety services globally, was named winner of the 2022 Ventus Award by the Business Network for Offshore Wind at the Ventus Gala, held Nov. 17 in Washington, D.C.
The Ventus Awards represent the offshore wind industry’s highest level of professional recognition, celebrating the cutting-edge innovations and the trailblazing people, companies, and organizations ushering in a new era for offshore wind energy.
MMA and RelyOn Nutec were joint winners in the Health, Safety & Environment Program of the Year category for their Global Wind Organization Basic Safety Training hybrid program, in place at the Academy since November 2019. In less than three years, some 200 participants have successfully completed the training, including 82 members of the District Council of New England Ironworkers.
The award was presented to Mauricio Guzman, business development manager for renewables for RelyOn Nutec, and Capt. Michael Burns, executive director of the Maritime Center for Responsible Energy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, at the Ventus Gala, where hundreds of professionals across the global offshore wind supply chain came together to celebrate the industry’s collective accomplishments.
“We are honored to be recognized with this Ventus Award along with our partner RelyOn Nutec,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “We congratulate all the finalists, and look forward to continuing to contribute to advancements in the offshore wind industry.”
“Thank you to the Business Network for Offshore Wind for this recognition,” added Jenni Lewis, RelyOn Nutec managing director, U.S., Mexico & Caribbean. “We are proud of our partnership with the Academy, and look forward to continuing to innovate, apply, and provide vital safety training for all those in the industry together.”
“It is critical that the U.S. offshore wind industry invests in developing a highly skilled, trained, and most importantly, safe workforce,” said Liz Burdock, president and CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind, the host of the Ventus awards. “The innovative and comprehensive Adaptive Learning Model developed by RelyOn Nutec and tested by Massachusetts Maritime Academy addresses knowledge gaps and blind spots that are critical to address, particularly as it relates to safety and response procedures.”