North P&I club celebrates 150th anniversary in Athens

The 110 million GT, ‘A’ rated North P&I club celebrated its 150th anniversary at a major shipping industry reception in Athens earlier this week. Nearly 500 members and guest attended the event at the Grand Resort Lagonisi on Tuesday 1 June 2010, which was also a precursor to next week’s Posidonia 2010 international shipping exhibition.

North’s roots go back to the 1860 launch of the North of England Iron Steam Ship Protecting Association in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, one of the world’s first mutuals providing personal injury and collision liability cover for steamships. In 1885 the club added cargo indemnity cover by merging with the local Steam Ship Owners’ Mutual, and – through a combination of organic growth and further mergers and acquisitions – went on to become one of the world’s leading international P&I insurers.

Attendees at the celebration included Union of Greek Shipowners president Theodore Veniamis of Golden Union, Panagiotis Tsakos of Tsakos Group and Panos Laskaridis of Laskaridis Shipping, as well as North’s Greek directors George Procopiou of Dynacom, Chris Kanellakis of Alpha Tankers & Freighters and Lou Kollakis of Chartworld.

The club’s joint managing directors Paul Jennings and Alan Wilson hosted the event along with directors Stephen Purvis, Mike Salthouse and Stephen Mills and the 10-strong Piraeus office team led by manager Tony Allen.

Allen thanked Greek directors and members for their continued support and commitment since the early 1980s, which has resulted in over 80 of North’s member groups and 21 million GT of entered shipping now coming from Greece. Jennings also urged Greek shipowners to continue playing a prominent role in helping the international shipping community find a more unified voice on issues such as criminalisation of seafarers and piracy.

North currently provides P&I insurance to 85 million GT of owned tonnage and 25 million GT of chartered tonnage. It remains based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and has regional offices in Greece, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Contact: Tony Allen  + 30 210 428 3038