The Chamber of Shipping is the trade association for British companies who own and manage ships, and is the major representative body of the UK shipping industry. It promotes the interests of its member companies, both nationally and internationally.
The Merchant Navy Training Board is the central body concerned with seafarer education and training arrangements, and is the forum in which standards and programmes are developed to meet national and international requirements. It also promotes careers in the Merchant Navy. Its members include the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, shipping companies, nautical colleges, and seafarers' trade unions.
The Marine Society and Sea Cadets
The society was established in 2004 from a merger of The Marine Society and the Sea Cadet Association. Their role is to provide personal development opportunities and support in a maritime context for young people and professional seafarers from all the sea services.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is the regulatory authority for the UK shipping industry, and has a wide range of responsibilities, including seafarer education and training.
NAUTILUS (formally NUMAST) is the union that represents maritime professionals at sea and ashore.
RMT (National Union Of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)
The RMT represents nearly 60,000 transport workers in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. It is the union for seafaring rating grades based in the UK and Ireland and represents nearly 7,500 seafarers