Ship society calls for new members

THE World Ship Society is calling all ship and maritime enthusiasts to join the organisation which has been in Durban since the mid-1950s.

The Durban branch of the World Ship Society is called the Port Natal branch of the World Ship Society, and the organisation’s secretary, David Hughes, explained the history of the organisation and why the local society is looking for new members.

Hughes explained that the World Ship Society originated in Great Britain in 1946, and the first branch in Durban was set up in the mid-1950s.

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“I am the current secretary, and I have been since 1975. Our main purpose is to stimulate an interest in ships and shipping for the people of Durban and the coast here. We do ship visits on cruise ships, and we have outings on the water from time to time, and most importantly, we hold meetings at the Royal Natal Yacht Club which take place every alternate month on the fourth Thursday of the month at 12:00. There are talks by either the members or guest speakers,” said Hughes.

Hughes says that it is at these meetings that the Port Natal World Ship Society tries to stimulate people’s interest in anything to do with ships and the sea. “In the past, we also encouraged and helped some young people go to sea and take the sea up as a career, working on the deck or in the engine room, for example.”

According to Hughes, the annual membership fee for the World Ship Society is R150, and members who sign up before July will pay half-price.

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“There are no responsibilities involved in being a member – it is purely social. We’ve got a variety of members: some who have been to sea, retired ship captains, people who have worked in the engine room in ships and a few people who have served in the South African Navy, but there are no qualifications needed to join the World Ship Society – you don’t have to have been to sea. Everyone is welcome, and we encourage younger people, especially those interested in a career at sea, to come down to our meetings and consider joining the society,” said Hughes.

The Port Natal branch of the World Ship Society will be holding its first meeting of 2024 on Thursday, January 25 at 12:00 at the Royal Natal Yacht Club, Yacht Basin.

The guest speaker is branch member Graham Lawrence with a presentation about ‘South Africa’s Traditional Coasting Companies’ which were shipping lines that operated coasters along the South African seaboard.

For enquiries, reach out to Secretary David Hughes on 031 304 9390 or via email at daviddenishughes1953@ gmail.com.

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