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UK/London

Welcome to the London Branch of The Nautical Institute!

As the 'home' branch (and largest of the branches) we participate in a programme of monthly Joint Informal Meetings (JIMs) alongside other London-based maritime organisations (presenting two evening seminars per year), as well as bi-annual full-day conferences and other technical and social events throughout the year.

Please see 'Upcoming Events' below for full details of upcoming meetings, and here for all dates and organisers of meetings held in 2023.  An outline plan for 2024 is here. Meetings are no longer on the first Monday of the month, since HQS WELLINGTON is no longer the venue (see "Joint Meetings" in the right hand column on this page).

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Next Joint Meeting

Wednesday 24 April, at Leonardo Tower Bridge Hotel, 13:30 - 17:45

Future Leaders Forum 2024

Presented by IMarEST.  See "Upcoming Events" below and/or this webpage.

And same day same venue:  

IMarEST President's Lecture

17:30 - 19:00, followed by drinks reception. Register HERE - you may need to create an IMaeEST account.

What we have been doing...

Our 51st AGM was held at the IMO on Thursday 11 April 2024. Around 55 members and guests also enjoyed drinks and a buffet supper at the world famous venue - see "Announcements" below and some photos HERE.

On Tuesday 5 December 2023, London Branch of The Nautical Institute presented an

Evening Seminar with a panel of expert speakers on Preparing Crews for New Fuels 

at the offices of Thomas Miller 90 Fenchurch Street.  

The development in ship propulsion over the next few decades could be as fundamental as Sail to Steam or Steam to Motor, but this time demand is driving the technology, rather than the other way around. So how can we prepare for this when we don’t even know what that technology is yet?  A panel of industry experts looked at the prominent candidates among potential alternative fuels, assessed their pros and cons, including practical challenges, especially to safety, and considered how we can best prepare seafarers for the future.  The audience then contributed with many questions for the panel and observations of their own.

Panel of Speakers

• Dr Thomas Beard - Senior Analysis Engineer, BMT
• Rushdie Rasheed - Marine Engineer, Brookes Bell
• Ross Millar - Steamship Mutual

Chair: Captain Andre L. LeGoubin, President of The Nautical Institute

Details are on the flyer HERE.  

On Monday 9 October, RINA presented a Joint Meeting at their HQ entitled 

Ship Design - Considerations for Operational Efficiency and Sustainability

Speaker, Keith W. Hutchinson of Safinah Group, looked at how the design of ships and their systems are now changing to increase efficiency to meet IMO Greenhouse Gas emission targets, with increasingly novel and technically challenging solutions now that cost of build is no longer the main driving factor.

On 8 June 2023 London Branch presented a successful Joint Meeting at the offices of Thomas Miller on Pilotage and Casualties: 

Finding practical ways to prevent casualties arising from pilotage:

• How can crew be encouraged to challenge the pilot should the need arise?
• A pilot’s perspective: what are the key ingredients for safe and efficient pilotage?
• What have been the outcomes when pilotage cases have gone to court?

Chair: Steve Cameron AFNI - Cameron Maritime Resources

Speakers: Petar Modev – Head of Ship Inspections, UK P&I Club
Captain Christopher F Hoyle – Vice-Chair, UKMPA Technical & Training Committee
Captain Peter McArthur FNI – Marine Technical Consultant
Andrew Bell FNI – Master Mariner & Marine Casualty Investigator.

Much discussion followed the presentations and the event was recorded.  Contact the Hon Sec for a copy on london.branch@nautinst.org.

On 5 December 2022, London Branch presented the monthly Joint Meeting (JIM) onboard HQS Wellington:

Leadership & Soft Skills - Time to update STCW?

The panel, consisting of Steve Cameron, Professor Carole Davis, Peter Aylott, Captain Himanshu Chopra & Philip Cave, enjoyed a lively discussion and debate with a well informed audience.

The questions discussed were:

1. Is the current STCW leadership training sufficient?
2. Is there a place for kind leadership at sea?
3. What are the characteristics you look for in a leader?
4. What should future leadership skills training include?
5. What are the returns from leadership training?

Join the conversation and leave your thoughts to the above on LinkedIn.

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Thanks to those who joined a pleasant social evening at the Anchor Tap on 22 September.

The branch presented the Joint Meeting on board HQS WELLINGTON on 4 July.  An evening seminar on Lithium-ion Battery Fires in Vehicle Cargoes - see "Announcements" below.

The London Branch event celebrating the Nautical Institute's 50th Anniversary was a successful conference on Maritime Leadership in a Changing World on 8 April on board HQS WELLINGTON.

The London Branch AGM was held on HQS WELLINGTON on Friday 21 April 2022 and was followed by drinks and supper on the quarterdeck - a picture of members and guests on the upper deck can be seen here.

On 4th November 2021 the branch held a conference on the subject of Fires on Containerships on board HQS WELLINGTON. View the article in Seaways HERE.

On 7th June 2021 the branch held a video seminar on Seafarer's Mental Health.  An attendance of 65 listened to presentations by a panel of industry speakers and took part in the debate that followed.

On 2nd December 2019 the branch held a seminar on Charting Maritime careers. Our panel of industry speakers enlightened us about the many opportunities and pathways to careers in the maritime sector.

On 3rd June 2019 the branch held a seminar on container firefighting and prevention. Our panel of industry speakers enlightened us about fire and explosion events involving containerised cargoes, the regulations covering containerships and the ability/resources available onboard and at sea to respond.

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If you have any questions or simply wish to get in touch please contact either:

Captain Gordon Lowe (07989226965; Herald1147@hotmail.com), or
Andrew Bell (07785 586317; andrewj.bell326@gmail.com).

We look forward to seeing you at our next gathering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: HQS Wellington (formerly the livery hall for the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, HCMM) played host to many of our flagship events over many years.  We look forward to continued close co-operation with HCMM as they move ashore temporarily, then on to a new livery hall in the future.

(Banner image: HMS Belfast)