North P&I Club's P&I course in Singapore becomes a biennial event

The ‘A’ rated 150 million GT North P&I Club plans to hold a new Asia-Pacific version of its highly popular residential course in P&I insurance and loss prevention in Singapore biennially following the success of an inaugural event last month.

According to Tony Baker, head of risk management at North, ‘The new one-week course at the Shangri La Rasa Sentosa Resort on 16-21 October 2011 attracted 43 delegates, mostly from the Asia-Pacific region but with some from as far afield as New York and Saudi Arabia. They took part in a blend of formal lectures and practical workshops, with a particular highlight for most students being the collision workshop at Singapore Polytechnic’s marine simulation unit.’

The new course – which is based on a similar course that the Club has run in the UK for the past 20 years – received much-appreciated financial support from the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority. It was designed to give representatives from Asia-Pacific shipowners, law firms, correspondents, survey companies and other P&I Clubs a comprehensive introduction to P&I liabilities in respect of ships, people and cargo as well as claims management and the all-important aspects of loss prevention.

Baker says Singapore was seen as the ideal venue due to the large and growing maritime business community based there – plus the fact that nearly a quarter of North’s tonnage is now entered from the Asia-Pacific region. ‘The presence of our branch office in Singapore also allowed the expertise of local staff to be drawn upon in organising and delivering the event,’ he says.

Local branch office manager James Moran says, ‘It was tremendous to see so many delegates enjoying their learning experience and getting so much from the course. We now plan to hold the event in Singapore on a biennial basis and, judging from the very positive feedback, it can only go from strength to strength’.

The next residential training course in the UK will be held on 15-22 June 2012 at Lumley Castle in north-east England.

North is a leading marine mutual liability insurer providing P&I, FD&D, war risks and ancillary insurance to 115 million GT of owned tonnage and 35 million GT of chartered tonnage, with 5000 ships entered by 400 members. It is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, with regional offices in Hong Kong, Piraeus and Singapore. The Club is a leading member of the International Group of P&I Clubs, with approximately 12% of the group’s owned tonnage. The 13 group Clubs provide liability cover for approximately 90% of the world’s ocean-going tonnage and, as a member of the group, North protects and promotes the interests of the international shipping industry.

Contact: Tony Baker or Kim Heaselden  +44 191 232 5221