Overview
The Shipowners' Club, founded in 1855 and managed by Charles Taylor in the Isle of Man and London, specialises in smaller and specialist tonnage — tugs, barges, fishing vessels, yachts, offshore-support vessels, ferries, and small coasters. It covers around 32,000 vessels (most of them small) and is the largest International Group club by entered-vessel count, even though its total GT is modest compared with the bulk-and-tanker giants.
Key facts
- Founded 1855
- Managed by Charles Taylor (Isle of Man, London)
- ~32,000 small vessels entered (largest by count)
- Specialist tug, barge, fishing, yacht, OSV focus
- International Group member
Why it matters to seafarers
Seafarers on tugs, OSVs, fishing vessels, and small coasters will most often find Shipowners' Club cover. The club publishes specialist guidance for these trades — tow-line failure, towage contract review, fishing-vessel stability — that the larger clubs cover only generically.