Professional organizations exist to foster relationships, and let skilled people make a bigger impact on their industry. With that in mind, the International Superyacht Society (ISS) is offering a sponsor-driven one-year free membership for megayacht crew.
The ISS has long focused on attracting businesses within the yachting industry, to support the broader industry itself. However, its annual YachtInfo educational seminars, held in the United States and abroad, have also long addressed subjects of interest to megayacht crew. (Full disclosure: MegayachtNews.com’s editor, Diane M. Byrne, is a member of the ISS board of directors.)
The one-year ISS megayacht crew membership is being underwritten by Wright Maritime Group. Crew holding STCW BST certification are qualified to join. Wright Maritime Group is sponsoring the initiative for a few reasons. Its managing director and CEO, A.J. Anderson, is a longtime captain. He established the firm as a global large-yacht operations and management company, so often engages with crew. Anderson is also a longtime ISS member. “There are compelling reasons for crew to become involved with the International Superyacht Society and for ISS to support crew,” Anderson explains. “WMG feels strongly enough to underwrite this mutually beneficial relationship.”
Among the compelling reasons: relationship building. ISS members include executives from new-construction and refit shipyards, gear and supply companies, crew-training facilities and crewing agencies, and flag-state regulatory bodies, among others. The ISS further wants megayacht crew to have a stronger voice in the creation of regulated and non-regulated crew-training curriculum. Furthermore, the ISS believes the knowledge and connections gained via membership can help crewmembers start new careers on land when they wish to do so.
To qualify for the ISS membership, crewmembers should send the following details to Amy Halsted, the ISS executive director:
- name
- country of residence
- mailing address
- mobile phone number
- email address
- number of years in yachting
- a copy of the STCW BST certification.
The ISS will send crewmembers who provide all required information a membership-confirmation email. They’ll also receive the ISS logo, with instructions on how it can be used in correspondence and/or on websites.
daniel reynolds says
lets have it right aj was one of the most awkward captains to work for trained by his role model mike anderson no relation if you ever went for a job on ajs yachts no eating garlic so stop all you real yacht crew worshiping aj he was what we all thought a pain and as far as sitting on steering committees for the mca i believe it is a great disservice to failed orgainisation