Scottish Shipping Initiative Launch - 4 June 2002

New organisation launched to represent Scottish Shipping industry

(ATHENS, GREECE) Representatives from Scottish Shipping have today launched a new organisation to promote and support the industry. The Scottish Shipping Initiative (SSI) marks the first time that an organisation has been created to represent the entire spectrum of the shipping industry in Scotland.

Prior to today’s launch, the SSI has already received the support of fourteen companies. Its two founding members are Bill Boase, Director of Edinburgh-based Greenshields & Co. and Jim Lowe, a Partner with solicitors Henderson Boyd Jackson, an Edinburgh-based legal firm which specialises in shipping law. Speaking in Athens at Posidonia 2002, Mr Boase said:

“The glory days of shipbuilding and ship owning in Scotland may have gone, but there continues to be a wealth of skill, energy and enterprise that still exists within the industry. We believe that, if focused and founded on the common interest, this vitality can ensure a bright future.”

Mr Lowe said:

“Scotland is a small country and no particular area of its shipping industry is large enough to support an organisation such as this to promote its individual narrow objectives. SSI is intended to allow every member the opportunity to have an input into any issue that affects the industry and help shape a consensual view which can then be promoted by this new organisation.”

The new body aims to be a broad based association of companies and organisations with vested economic interests in the sector. It has set out its primary objectives:

Ø to promote the industry commercially

Ø to be a voice of the industry to the media, governments and administrations, and to take up a role in the education of the public, in particular children and students to encourage interest in careers in shipping, whether afloat or ashore

Ø Shipping in this country is largely invisible to the public, government and to some extent its potential customers

After its initial recruitment drive, the SSI plans to hold its inaugural meeting in Scotland at the end of June where it will seek to nominate its first chairman and board of directors.

For further information, please call the Scottish Shipping Initiative on +44 (0) 131 718 6330

Or Bill Shaw, Catchline PR & Communications on +44 (0) 1592 643 200.