The Connecticut Maritime Association is a non-profit organization built by its members for its members. It is an Association made of individuals representing every aspect of shipping and international trade.
The CMA produces an extremely varied schedule of events and information tools:
- Monthly Luncheons: Luncheons are usually held on the last Thursday of each month, feature industry speakers and provide useful networking time.
- Monthly Newsletter: We keep members informed of industry issues, market trends, member news and the ever increasing array of social, sports and entertainment activities.
- Website: Check out our website for the latest news, views, Employment Hub, schedule of upcoming events and sports scores.
- Employment Hub: A posting of both job vacancies and candidates appearing in both the monthly Newsletter and on the website. This service has proved invaluable for members and for the industry.
- Scholarships and Internships: In 2010, the CMA spun off the job of managing scholarships and internships by creating a sister organization, the CMA Education Foundation, with seed money earned through our annual CMA Shipping Conferences. We proudly continue to work with and support the CMA Education Foundation and the important work that they do.
- Social, Sports & Entertainment: The CMA hosts a number of social events throughout the year, designed to appeal to all sectors of our membership. Structured to facilitate business and build the community, events currently on the social calendar include a spring golf outing, evening dinners, summer sports that have included softball and flag football, a festive holiday party and a popular summer picnic beside the Sound. Special events of note in recent years have included the CMA’s 20th & 30th Anniversary Galas at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and at a Greenwich Country Club, a unique Liberty Ship reception fund-raiser in New London aboard the S.S. John W. Brown and several 12-Meter Regattas on Long Island Sound.
- Annual Conference & Trade Show: The CMA’s “Shipping”event, held each Spring in Stamford, Connecticut has gained a reputation as the premier shipping gathering in North America and a “must-attend” event on the business calendar. A dynamic and topical seminar program, combined with cutting edge exhibits and an enormous range of networking opportunities attracts over 2,000 major domestic and international industry players each year. The event culminates in the Commodore Gala Dinner, where an individual, selected by the CMA Board, is presented with the CMA Commodore Award in recognition of outstanding contribution to the maritime industry. The conference and trade show is now managed by Informa Markets on behalf of the CMA.
This is your Association and your thoughts, comments, ideas and support are what make it work!
Through the years, the CMA has declined encouragement to be more political or to take a more activist role in the shipping industry. But it has opted to take a positive and very successful role in providing a forum for information exchange for its members. Seminars and lectures are held periodically, and each Spring the CMA sponsors a Conference and Trade Show which has become the pre-eminent shipping conference in North America. Attracting industry leaders from all over the world, the three day, multifaceted trade show includes dynamic exhibits from 130 maritime related companies and organizations, seminars and lectures conducted by experts in the field and attendance by over 2,400 potential clients each day. One of the highlights of the event is the presentation of The Commodore Award, given to one individual, selected by the Board of Directors of the CMA, who has made outstanding contributions to the maritime industry.
The Connecticut Maritime Association, with its sound philosophy and dedication to its members has carved a place in shipping history. As stated in an article published by Fairplay Magazine, “this vibrant volunteer based organization has filled a real need for a forum for serious debate within the U.S. on the problems confronting the international shipping industry. Almost without exception, the (conference) met or exceeded past high standards – these were practical, hard-nosed assessments from top people in the industry – a gathering which can attract the top (leaders) and keep them in their seats has found the right formula.”