The Eighth Annual Samuel Cunard Prize for Vision, Courage, and Creativity was awarded to Blair McKeil on Wednesday, September 25, onboard Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2. To celebrate this honor, McKeil was joined by local dignitaries, leaders from the maritime community, and officers from Queen Mary 2, which was docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

The Samuel Cunard Prize was created in 2015 by Cunard, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation to celebrate Cunard’s 175^th Anniversary in the ancestral home of its founder, Sir Samuel Cunard. The award acknowledges an extraordinary individual who demonstrates the qualities exemplified by Cunard throughout his life. Previous honorees include Jim Irving, John Risley, the Right Honorable Paul Martin, Ken Rowe, Zita Cobb, Scott McCrea and Fred Smithers.

Blair McKeil is the Vice Chairman of McKeil Marine Limited, a company his family started over 68 years ago. At a young age, Blair was actively involved in the business and at just 32 was named President. He served as president from 1992 to 2010; CEO, Chairman from 2002 to 2016; and Vice Chairman from 2016. Under Blair’s leadership, McKeil Marine evolved from an owner-operated tug and barge company into one of Canada’s leading marine service providers, specializing in marine transportation and delivering complex marine project solutions. They employ over 400 highly skilled sailing and shore-based crew and they continue to grow and expand under new ownership, Astatine Investment Partners.

Blair’s vision, courage, creative leadership and relentless drive were instrumental in developing new enterprises and opportunities for the organization. An important part of Blair’s legacy is his profound commitment to giving back to the communities where McKeil Marine operates and to creating a culture of caring and respect among all McKeil employees.

“I am humbled by this prestigious award and graciously accept it on behalf of my family and the men and women I’ve been fortunate enough to work beside throughout my career in the marine industry,” said Blair McKeil.  “Having the courage to be vulnerable and to take risks is what drives vision and creativity. Samuel Cunard’s legacy is an inspiration – his vision, courage and creativity set forth a culture of excellence and today the Cunard name is synonymous with delivering unforgettable customer experiences. It is truly an honor to be recognized by this world class company, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation.”

“It’s an honor to present Blair McKeil with this prestigious award,” said Matt Gleaves, VP Commercial for Cunard North America. “Blair has dedicated his life to Canada’s maritime industry and his family business, consistently demonstrating unwavering commitment to its people, its customers, and the communities it serves. He exemplifies the values of Samuel Cunard, and in our founder’s ancestral home, it is a privilege for us to bestow this recognition upon Mr. McKeil.”

For more information about Cunard or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Advisor, call Cunard at 1-800-728-6273, or visit www.cunard.com.

For Travel Advisors interested in further information, please contact your Business Development Manager, visit OneSourceCruises.com, or call Cunard at 1-800-528-6273.

About Cunard

Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships since 1840, celebrating an incredible 184 years of operation. The Cunard experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment, and outstanding White Star service. From a partnership with a two-Michelin starred chef, to inspiring guest speakers, to world class theatre productions, every detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience unforgettable.  A pioneer in transatlantic journeys and round world voyages, destinations sailed to also include Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, the Far East and Australia.

There are currently four Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and new ship, Queen Anne, entered service in May 2024. This investment is part of the company’s ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally and will be the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in simultaneous service. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton and has been owned since 1998 by Carnival Corporation, plc. www.cunard.com (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK). 

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