Honourable Company News

Captain David J.F. Bruce, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and Senior Deputy Commissioner of Maritime Affairs, RMI Maritime Administrator passed away on Friday, 29 September 2023. He was a loving husband to Alison for 53 years, father to Gwendoline, and grandfather to Alison and Alexander. Captain Bruce had a storied career and connection with the sea, first going to work at sea in 1957 after his studies at Melville College in Edinburgh…

Coltraco Ultrasonics Chief Executive, Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter, has been welcomed onto the Board of Trustees at The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), an internationally renowned professional institute at the heart of surface and sub-surface ship design.Formed in 1860 and established by Royal Warrant RINA occupies a central and essential role at the heart of British and global maritime with 70% overseas members and Consultative Status at the International Maritime Organisation.Commenting on the appointment, RINA Chief Executive, Trevor Blakeley says, “The Royal Institution of Naval Architects is very pleased to welcome Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter as a member of its Board of Trustees.

Mr Philip Wake OBE RD MSc FNI has been appointed an Ordinary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the UK’s New Year’s Honours’ List for his services to the maritime industry. Philip was elected a Fellow of The Nautical Institute in 1996, and became Chairman of the voluntary London Branch soon after. Having served in the Secretariat since November 1999, he became the Chief Executive of The Nautical Institute in May 2003. During his time as Chief Executive, The Nautical Institute has developed its reach as a professional membership organisation, now serving members in 120 countries. The Nautical Institute continues to promote professionalism, safety and best practice to the industry as a whole, through a range of publications and free resources, including the Alert!

Len Holder, Videotel Chairman, died April 21 after a short illness. Len dedicated his lifetime in the maritime industry to developing better training practices. After serving at sea for 10 years, he came ashore to undertake study and research at Liverpool Polytechnic, becoming Director of the School of Engineering and Technology Management over his time there. From 1989, Len acted as an independent consultant. He was a founder member of the Nautical Institute, serving as President (1993-1996), and was Master of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners (2000-2001).

UK based ECDIS training and consultancy company ECDIS Ltd are celebrating over two years award of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners (HCMM) sponsored ECDIS prize. The prize is awarded to the best ECDIS student of the month and is eligible to all those undertaking a generic IMO 1.27 ECDIS training course with ECDIS Ltd. In recognition of their success, the worthy recipient receives an elegant gift and a plaque with the student’s name on it adorns the ‘Ship’s Wheel’ at ECDIS Ltd’s facility.

Accidents in enclosed spaces are frequent, often fatal – but crucially, also avoidable. Today, Videotel Marine International joins forces with Mines Rescue Marine to launch a brand new training series, Entry into Enclosed Spaces. The programme delivers a hard hitting message to both ship board and shore based personnel that will ensure that when working in enclosed spaces the correct equipment is used and good safety procedures become second nature. “There is no excuse for the unacceptable casualties we have seen recently,” says Stephen Bond, Deputy Chairman, Videotel.

TITAN Salvage appointed Mark Hoddinott to global director, marketing and strategy, responsible for developing, delivering and managing the company's strategic marketing and business development plans. He will operate out of Titan's United Kingdom (UK) facility at Newhaven, East Sussex, and will report to Rich Habib, TITAN's vice president. Hoddinott, who will continue his role on the senior management team, will work closely with TITAN's commercial division. Additionally, TITAN's Neil Ives has been appointed operations manager, Europe. Ives' responsibilities include managing the sales and marketing efforts for the region, pursuing new business, drafting proposals and contracts, supporting the salvage warehouse and operations and overseeing the administrative requirements in the UK office.