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Thomas Miller News

10 Nov 2021

TT Club Taps Blunsum as Chief Technology Officer

Kevin Blunsum (Photo: TT Club)

Freight and logistics insurer TT Club said it has appointed Kevin Blunsum as its first Chief Technology Officer.Blunsum is a highly experienced and well-respected member of the London-market insurance community. Over his 30-year career he has held a variety of positions engaged in insurance technology development and change management with Deloitte, EY, Accenture, and more recently with Aspen Insurance as Director of Business Transformation.Blunsum will be working closely with Lisa Gibbard…

06 Aug 2020

Insurers Discuss Container Casualty Causes

Copyright: donvictori0/AdobeStock

Handling of steel boxes throughout the shipping, ports and logistics supply chain has historically grown exponentially, putting strains on a range of operational procedures and the physical hardware employed to handle the steel boxes, particularly onboard ships. A recent webinar organized by the Thomas Miller managed insurance mutuals, container freight specialist TT Club and protection & indemnity insurer, UK P&I Club, revealed the diverse range of factors important to safe container ship operations and the security of the container stacks they carry.

11 May 2018

Top Container Shipping Lines Reviewing Iran Operations

(File photo: MSC)

The world's top two container shipping groups Maersk Line and MSC are reviewing their Iran operations after the United States withdrawal from the international nuclear agreement with Tehran.The 2015 agreement, worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran, lifted sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limits to its nuclear program.U.S. President Donald Trump also instructed his administration to re-impose U.S. sanctions after a winding down period."MSC is reviewing its services…

25 Feb 2018

UK P&I Club Focus on Financial Stability

The UK P&I Club, a leading provider of P&I insurance and other services to the international shipping community, emerges from the renewal to start the new policy year with total mutual owned tonnage of 139 million gt, slightly higher than at the start of the previous policy year. Combined mutual-owned and chartered tonnage now stands at around 239 million gross tonnes. The UK Club understands that many operators are under financial pressure. The Club therefore continues to seek ways of delivering P&I cover at a competitive rate and did not announce a general increase again this year. However, safeguarding the Club’s future financial stability through disciplined underwriting remains a priority. Of those fleets leaving the Club at this renewal, almost all had adverse loss records.

22 Jan 2018

Thomas Miller Acquires Brookes Bell

UK-based international provider of insurance services Thomas Miller has acquired international marine consultancy business Brookes Bell for an undisclosed sum. Brookes Bell is a marine technical and surveying consultancy with offices in Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. It has served the marine and energy industries since 1903, providing specialist services in areas including emergency response, casualty investigation, salvage and wreck removal operations, scientific cargo expertise, forensic engineering and expert witness services. The firm also provides research and development of ship design support to enhance maritime safety and technology and employs a renowned group of marine engineers…

06 Dec 2017

MERC to Cease BWMS Type Approval Testing

Maritime Environmental Resource Center will no longer conduct Type Approval Certification testing of ballast water management systems. The Maritime Environment Resource Center (MERC) was established in 2008 by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) to facilitate the development and adoption of Green Ship and Green Port innovations with a primary goal of expanding on over twenty years of research addressing the issues of ballast water invasive species. Invasive species introduction through the release of ship’s ballast water have enormous ecological and economic impacts on coastal waters around the world.

22 Nov 2016

UK P&I Club: Premium Discount for 2016

The UK P&I Club said it has agreed at its board meeting on November 19 to a mutual premium discount of 3 percent on the total mutual call for the 2015 policy year. In the current shipping environment, the board has decided it is prudent to revise the club’s approach to the general increase. For the 2017 renewal, the club will not be seeking a standardized general increase. Instead, premium will reflect the specific risk a member brings to the club for the coming year. With the overall club underwriting results largely in balance, the 2017 policy year renewal will focus closely on individual member’s underwriting performance, while still being mindful of the difficult shipping markets in which many members operate.

28 Sep 2016

IMCA to Hold Maritime Security Seminar

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is hosting a Security Seminar in London on Thursday, November 10, which will focus on human factors in modern maritime security. Sponsored by Subsea 7 and Technip, the event is a continuation of IMCA's new series of mini-seminars – niche events tailored to tackle specific topics. “The day-long seminar at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in South Kensington will provide an invaluable opportunity for all concerned to understand the impact of human factors on security in key areas of the offshore marine contracting industry – both in the oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors,” explained Richard Benzie, IMCA’s Technical Director. “It will cover both the global risk to people, and the internal cyber security threat.

24 Jun 2016

BIMCO Launches New Standard Agreements for Novation of Shipping Contracts

BIMCO has published three standard novation agreements that provide a legal framework to change one of the original parties to a contract. Two of the agreements cover time charter parties; one provides for a change of charterer and the other a change of owner. The third agreement deals with a change of buyer under a shipbuilding contract. Corporate changes such as restructuring, sale of a company or sale of part of a company’s interests may make it necessary to replace an original contracting party. This is achieved by substituting, or “novating” the contract. Until now there has been no standard form of contract for this purpose and parties have had to draft their own provisions.

11 May 2016

UK P&I Club's Good Results in Difficult Times

London, 11 May 2016 – The UK P&I Club (“The UK Club”), one of the leading shipping protection and indemnity mutual insurers, announces its financial results for the year ended 20 February 2016. Alan Olivier, Chairman of the UK P&I Club, comments, “2015 has proved to be another good year for the Club culminating with a very positive renewal. On the financial side, we ended the year with a small surplus despite a loss from our investment portfolio. This positive result in a poor year for the investment markets can be attributed to our disciplined approach to underwriting. “The combined ratio for the financial year was 92%; a very creditable result in the prevailing soft market conditions.

25 Feb 2016

Britannia and UK P&I Clubs in Merger Talks

The boards of the Britannia Club and the UK P&I Club announced today that the two groups are in merger discussions.   The boards of the Clubs will now begin a process to determine whether the merger is possible and delivers appropriate benefit to their respective Memberships. Ultimately, the decision on whether to proceed with a merger will be decided by the Members at Special General Meetings to be convened later in the year.   The talks are concurrent with discussions between their managers, Thomas Miller and Tindall Riley, both international providers of insurance and professional services, which would also lead to a merger of the respective businesses should the Clubs decide to merge.

27 Oct 2015

UK P&I Club Sets 2.5% General Increase

The UK P&I Club, a provider of protection and indemnity insurance,  agreed at its board meeting Monday that the General Increase for the 2016 renewal will be 2.5 percent. In announcing the increase, the UK Club board said it is mindful of the continuing stress in certain sectors of the shipping market and has therefore set the General Increase for 2016 below the level of claims inflation, adding the General Increase reflects the club’s commitment to maintain balanced underwriting and put the club in the best position to meet the challenges of the future. Separately, in recognizing the challenges faced by its members and the club’s capital position, the board has declared a Mutual Premium Discount of 2.5 percent on the total mutual call for the 2014 policy year.

08 Sep 2015

Thomas Miller Awards Robin Travis Scholarship

The UK P&I Club one of the leading shipping protection and indemnity mutual insurers,  has awarded Tobias Rennekamp the  Robin Travis Scholar for 2015. Tobias will spend three months in the Thomas Miller London office and the offices of selected lawyers, surveyors, insurance brokers and other shipping, transport and insurance businesses. Tobias is currently an Assistant Operations Officer at Liberty One Shipmanagement GmbH & Co KG in Bremen and is actively involved in all aspects of managing its fleet of handy size bulk carriers. The Robin Travis Scholarship programme is tailored to provide both a practical and theoretical knowledge and experience and to build on the Scholar’s commercial experience.

08 Sep 2015

Thomas Miller Acquires Marine Law Firm

Thomas Miller the international insurance, professional and insurance services provider announces the acquisition of the partners and staff of specialist marine law firm, Davies Johnson & Co of Plymouth. The acquisition brings an additional six fee earners to the Thomas Miller Law Ltd (TM Law) team. The firm will operate from Plymouth and London in addition to TM Law’s main office in Newcastle, where it forms part of the Group’s claims handling and risk management consultancy business. Davies’ Johnson’s existing clients will continue to be able to instruct the Plymouth firm, and there will be no change to the service they enjoy currently.

12 Jun 2015

UK Defense Club Reports Strengthened Financial Position

The UK Defence Club, the provider of FD&D (legal costs) insurance to the maritime industry, announced its financial results for the year ending February 20, 2015. According to the club, highlights include 3,700 ships covered, total assets of £56.5 million; combined loss ratio of 94 percent; free reserves £28.4 million; 167 million GRT, increase of five percent in owned tonnage; net claims incurred, including claims provision, increased to £13.1 million from £10.2 million in 2013/14; and 2015 Renewal – zero percent general increase and introduction of continuity credits. UK Defence Club chairman Michael Lykiardopulo said, “I believe that by announcing a zero percent general increase for the 2015/16 policy year…

29 Oct 2014

UK P&I Club: 6.5% General Increase for 2015

The UK P&I Club board has agreed at its meeting on October 27, 2014 that the general increase for the 2015 renewal will be 6.5%. The premium rating increase is in addition to any change in the cost of the international group reinsurance premium for 2015 for the mutual members, which will be determined next January. In setting the general increase, the UK Club board said it is mindful of the balance between the needs of the club’s members and its commitment to maintaining balanced underwriting and sound financial planning. The 2013 year has proved to be one of the most expensive claims years of the last two decades, the club said. Alan Olivier…

09 Jun 2014

UK P&I Club Awards 2014 Scholarship

The UK Club informs that Jan Kohzer has been selected as this year’s Robin Travis Scholar. From 1st September 2014, Jan will spend three months based in Thomas Miller’s London office. The Robin Travis scholarship is a flexible programme tailored to provide a breadth of knowledge and understanding and build on the Scholar’s current commercial experience. Jan currently works in the Claims Department of Oldendorff Carriers, a German shipowner based in Luebeck, where he manages insurance claims, whilst furthering his study of marine insurance and operations. His role at Oldendorff Carriers together with his participation in the 2012 Insight Course provided by Thomas Miller has led to Jan seizing the opportunity to gain a more indepth understanding of P&I insurance matters.

21 Mar 2014

TT Club Strengthens Middle East Presence

Julien Horn

Specialist freight transport insurance provider TT Club said it is reinforcing its presence in Dubai with a move which aims to support the Club’s existing claims team in the UAE and underlines the insurer’s commitment to what is a dynamic region and provides an additional service level to both Members and brokers in the Middle East. Julien Horn, having already been TT’s underwriter dedicated to the Middle East for some six years now, will relocate to Dubai on secondment to Through Transport Mutual Services (Gulf), the Club’s long established joint venture Network Partner.

28 Feb 2014

Hold-harmless Clauses May Not Be So Harmless

Robert Hodge

ITIC has warned that the so-called ‘hold harmless’ clauses in many of the contracts entered into by its members may contain pitfalls which could prejudice their rights. A mutual hold-harmless indemnity clause should provide that each party to the contract agrees to take responsibility for - and to indemnify the other against - injury and loss to its own personnel and property and its own consequential losses, even if the accident and related losses are caused by negligence. But ITIC notes that…

25 Feb 2014

UK P&I Club Announces Positive Renewal

Estimated increase of renewal premium of seven percent. For many UK Club Members, subdued earnings and a lingering shipping recession remain an unwelcome fact of life. However, UK Club premium needs to address underlying claims inflation, as well as a future pick up in claims frequency from what have been record low levels. Hugo Wynn-Williams, Chief Executive of Thomas Miller P&I, the UK P&I Club’s managers, said, “It has been another good and solid renewal for the UK Club marked by continued controlled growth for a third year in succession whilst preserving a disciplined approach to underwriting.

18 Feb 2014

Watkins Syndicate Appoints Senior Underwriters

Richard Dare

Watkins Syndicate Singapore Pte. Ltd. has appointed two senior underwriters to bolster its expanding presence in the Asia Pacific region. Watkins Syndicate Singapore, which is part of the Lloyd’s Asia Platform and represents Watkins Syndicate 457 at Lloyd’s, has hired Colin Fordham as Liability Underwriter and Richard Dare as Energy Underwriter. Both underwriters join Watkins in Singapore with strong track records in the insurance industry. Colin Fordham joins from Seasia P&I Services Singapore where he was general manager.

02 Oct 2013

Piracy, Sanctions Top Shipowners’ List of Concerns

Legal and contractual issues, piracy and crime, and international sanctions are the most important areas of concern to merchant shipowners, according to a recent survey by the UK P&I Club. Close behind are crewing and personnel, insurance regulation, loss prevention, environmental legislation, shipboard risk management, cargo preparation and stowage, and port state control. Consequently, owners want information and advice from their P&I clubs on how to tackle the problems associated with these areas. Their priorities have been revealed by the UK P&I Club’s latest member survey. As one of the world’s largest marine mutuals, the UK P&I Club’s 122 million gross tons of international merchant shipping provides a representative cross section of the industry.

13 Sep 2013

Marine Broker Wins P&I Scholarship Internship

Johann von Rantzau: Photo credit Thomas Miller

Johann von Rantzau has been selected as this year's Robin Travis Scholar following final interviews of candidates in Hamburg, Germany. The scholarship provides a three-month paid internship with transport liability specialist Thomas Miller for executives employed in the shipping, transport or marine insurance sectors in Germany. From 30th September 2013, Johann will be attached to Thomas Miller’s London head office where the businesses managed include the UK P&I Club, the TT Club and ITIC. He will enjoy a tailored programme of placements reflecting his particular business interests.