On the 14^th of November 2017, Clyde Marine Recruitment’s staff and guests attended the Scottish Shipping Benevolent Association’s (SSBA) annual charity dinner.

The Annual Dinner is where the SSBA members and their guests are brought together through their common interest in the shipping industry and to raise the much-needed funds to help the charity to continue their important work of providing financial support to individuals and families in need.

The Addresses

This year enduring and uplifting words for the industry were given by Guy Platten, the Chief Executive of the UK Chamber of Shipping, who addressed “Shipping interests and the Association”. His address highlighted how capitalism, globalisation and international collaboration spread prosperity and growth – and the shipping industry has a key role to play in this process.

Guy noted that the UK’s shipping community no longer exists in a bubble, instead, “the UK Government is listening to maritime voices like never before”. The shipping industry, he argued, has opened up and is influencing policymakers through the work of bodies such as the UK Chamber of Shipping, Maritime UK and the Scottish Maritime Cluster.

“We are making progress. But we have so much more to do. And I am clear, I want us to become bold, confident and ambitious industry…We are not a niche sector with a niche set of interests. We are fundamental to the British way of life and we are putting ourselves on a path to ensure we become every bit as influential and high-profile as car manufacturing or professional services,” Guy said.

Then it was Peter Buchan, who spoke of “Observations of a Nuclear Shipper”. Peter has a BSc(Hons) in Chemistry and extensive experience working with British, European and Japanese customers. He joined the Nuclear industry with British Nuclear Fuels plc in 1991, Peter became the Commercial Director for International Nuclear Services (INS) in 2010. He became INS’s Shipping Director in 2015 when he was also appointed to the INS and Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL) Boards. As Shipping Director, Peter has responsibility for delivery of all INS’s shipping projects and the operation of the three PNTL and one Nuclear Decommissioned Authority owned INF ships.

Peter highlighted that the UK is the world leader in shipping nuclear materials with “only four ships and 180 seafarers, we have made over 200 shipments and 5 million miles without any release of radioactivity”.

The SSBA

From the SSBA’s beginning to present day, they have recognised the need to be able to financially support the shore-side workforce in the maritime industry, in times of need.

Whilst there are many worthwhile charities aimed at seafarers, the SSBA is the only charity focused specifically at people who have worked in a shore-side maritime role within Scotland.

The SSBA have held an Annual Dinner since its establishment over 100 years ago, with the expectation of the war years. It is the Association’s only formal affair and it provides the ideal channel through which their members and their guests can be addressed by senior figures of the maritime industry.

The SSBA can provide one-off lump sums or ongoing financial support to SSBA members, appropriate individuals and/or their families for many difference reasons including redundancy, financial hardship and illness or death.

Beneficiaries can be young or old, single or a family, unemployed or employed. Each case is simply checked alongside their Regulations and is assessed sensitively and confidentially by their Board of Directors.

The SSBA assists people to fulfil their potential by awarding grants for training and education with the maritime industry. Additionally, the SSBA provides hardship funding to individuals indirectly through other maritime related charities including the Scottish Nautical Welfare Society.

The SSBA encourage new memberships from people who have worked at all levels within shore-based maritime related employment sectors in Scotland, including ship owning, ship management, ship agency and ship broking. They offer a lifetime membership for only £25 per person, which demonstrates your support for the charity and its cause, as well as helping others in need.

To become part of Scotland’s biggest shore-based employment charity you can email info@scottishshippingcharity.org to request a membership joining pack. Or to keep up to date with the SSBA you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

This year the SSBA raised nearly £4,000 at the Dinner.