Kestrel Liner Agencies, the Caribbean region's go-to shipping agency and gateway to the rest of the world, has been awarded the prestigious Queen's Award For International Trade 2018.

The Award recognises Kestrel's rapid growth over the past three years, both in the Caribbean market as well as its short sea services from the UK to Spain, Portugal and Morocco; East and West Africa plus global vehicle transportation (RORO) services. Kestrel, which has global revenues of USD 80 million, saw its UK remitted annual revenues leap by 37% to GBP 33 million over the past three years.

Commenting on the Award, Kestrel Liner Agencies Chief Executive, Andy Thorne said "This is a huge honour for Kestrel and a testament to the hard work of our teams, the loyalty of our customers and the support of the many shipping lines we represent. We connect the Caribbean with the global market place and are proud of our charitable work across the islands. This is the second time we have been named a recipient of a Queen's Award and we are delighted to once again be recognised for our efforts at the highest level."  

The Queen's Awards are the highest official awards for British business and are awarded to businesses for outstanding achievement in International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and also for Promoting Opportunity.

Kestrel provides support to numerous charities and organisations across the Caribbean including the successful "Get into Logistics" Prince's Trust programmes in Barbados which has seen 36 Barbadians gain qualifications; sponsorship of a football youth team in Grenada and the Pure Grenada Cup 2018, and ships charity goods to help underprivileged children play football.  In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Kestrel paid for the charter of seven ships carrying relief cargo to the islands and provided financial support to communities in the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Dominica and Barbuda. The company will be running its "Get into Logistics" programme in Jamaica later this year and hopes to expand the programme into St Vincent and Guyana.

Kestrel Liner Agencies has grown from a two-man operation and now has offices in London, Felixstowe, Warrington, Hull, Dover, Dublin, Miami, Los Angeles, Guyana, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, Namibia and South Africa.