From coastal sail to global shipping, 1909-2009 : the history of the Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association Limited /Helen Doe.

"Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association was established in 1909 and was originally part of the Sailing Ship Mutual Association which originated in the Southwest of England. In its early years it insured many of the well known sailing ships; the Nurse Brothers ships from Gloucester, the Ashburner fleet from Barrow and the Stephens fleet from Fowey. These were the famous ships in the foreign trade in their time but by 1909 they were confined to the coastal trade and the days of sail were numbered. By the inter war years the Club was insuring barges on the Thames and Medway rivers. Today Steamship Mutual is one of the top international Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs and insures containerships, cruise ships, tankers and many other vessels owned across the world. By looking at the people and the events that influenced its history, this book tells the story of how this small British club, insuring just a few hundred vessels, became a successful global organisation."--Dust jacket.