The Kevin Tester Award aims to identify and encourage high quality coverage of marine or maritime matters to bring about constructive change, increase public awareness and improve understanding.
The winning piece should stand out for its originality and demonstrate mastery of the subject and clarity in writing. The piece may illuminate a significant and complex subject, offer an argument powerful enough to sway public thought in a technically or scientifically sound direction, or inspire significant debate within the industry or wider public.
Typically, winning articles are recognised as distinguished example of explanatory reporting, editorial writing or feature writing.
Judging criteria
A winner will be selected by the judging panel based on the following criteria:
- Relevance - the piece explores or explains a marine/maritime issue or presents a marine/maritime story in a fresh and original way
- Craft - the piece is beautifully crafted, well-researched and accurate, balanced and fair, engaging and appropriate for the intended audience
- Reach and impact - the piece reaches a large audience, there is further media coverage of the issue as a result of the piece, and the piece sparks demonstrable change in policy, regulation or an increase in industry or public awareness
Remembering Kevin
This award honours the late Kevin Tester, an esteemed maritime writer and senior technical adviser of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST).
Kevin edited highly-regarded publications such as Marine Engineers Review, Marine Electronics & Communications and Maritime IT & Electronics during his 18-year career, and was instrumental in shaping the direction and content for the Institute’s flagship title, Marine Professional.
What articles are eligible?
Submissions are eligible from any media outlet based anywhere in the world, with the exception of Marine Professional.
- Entries must be published in English, or include the provision of a translation in English
- Entries can be published in print or online and may be submitted as a URL (linking to a single item) or a PDF
- If permitted, login information for pay-walled content must be provided and remain active until the award is announced in March
- Video, audio, photography and illustration entries are not eligible for the award
- The work must have been published in the preceding year of the award year (e.g. the 2025 Award will go to work published in 2024)
- All entries must be submitted online before 7 February and no entries will be accepted after this date
- All entries must be submitted along with a cover letter explaining why the piece deserves to be considered for the Award, providing supporting evidence against the judging criteria
- Any significant challenge to the honesty, accuracy or fairness of an entry, as well as responses to the challenge, should be included in the submission
- Published letters of complaint, corrections or retractions are examples of items relevant to the judging process
- The judging panel reserves the right to seek further clarification or supporting evidence as may be necessary to help its consideration of a submission for the Award
- By submitting an entry, you are agreeing to make the piece freely and publicly available in full for the purposes connected with the Award
To submit an article, use the form below.
Prize details
- The winner will be promoted in Marine Professional through a profile/interview about them and their work
- The winner will be given a year of complimentary Affiliate membership of the IMarEST (this includes free access to conferences, panel discussions and lectures)
The winner may attend the IMarEST Annual Dinner in London, at which they will be presented with the award. Our Annual Dinner provides an opportunity for attendees to network with hundreds of industry experts and prominent leaders in the fields of marine engineering, science and technology.
