Workboat Association celebrates 30 years
Members and guests of the Workboat Association clinked glasses on a River Thames cruise to mark 30 years of the association this week.
Beginning in 1994 with just six members, the WA has grown year by year to the more than 230 members it has today.
Welcoming guests at the event in London, CEO Kerrie Forster remarked that at the organisation’s 15th AGM in 2010, which Maritime Journal reported on, there were 17 members. Now, at 30 years old, the number has reached 230.
“The situation of where the Workboat Association is today is extremely positive,” Forster said. “We have an enthusiastic and output-driven membership, and an equally proactive team on our board and behind our work groups.”
Kerrie Forster has been involved as a Work Group chair then on the board since 2014, before being appointed CEO in 2019.
“Our 30th anniversary is a significant milestone and a brilliant opportunity to reflect on where we have come from and where we would like to go,” he said.
“Earlier in the day before the celebrations, the WA Committee met to discuss a strategy towards 2030. This foresight and steering will ensure that the association continues its drive and success for many years into the future.”
The cruise on Monday evening was held onboard the three-deck city cruises vessel Erasmus, and left from St Katherine’s Dock next to the iconic Tower Bridge. The cruise took guests past the Houses of Parliament, O2 Arena (formerly known as the Millennium Dome), London Eye and Thames Barrier.
Myles Metson, naval architect and project manager with the Orkney-based Green Marine, was at the party.
“Since its formation, Green Marine (UK) has been a member of the Workboat Association, benefiting from its progressive growth,” he said. “The WA brings together knowledge and suppliers from a range of sectors. They provide near instantaneous safety and technical guidance on the Workboat Code and its integration with other MCA legislation, as well as multiple networking opportunities every year.
“It further facilitates the opportunity for vessel operators such as ourselves, to get in front of regulatory bodies, maritime ministers, and other key decision makers.”
Green Marine was founded in 2012. It operates throughout Europe, providing workboats, CTVs, heavy-lift and transport barges for the growing offshore energy industry. The company also carries out subsea surveys, offshore site surveys and cable installation, recovery and burial.
