The Antwerp Department of the Propeller Club, a business club of maritime professionals, now sails an independent course. Earlier, the divisions in Italy, Switzerland and Liverpool also went their own way.

The Propeller Club in the port of Antwerp was founded October 15^th 1996. Now the Antwerp department goes its own independent way. “In a world of change, an organisation needs to question itself regularly,” says President Mark Scheerlinck. We note that the interests of our members are mainly in the European hinterland, combined with a worldwide reach. A strong European network imposes itself,  along with a strong local anchoring. The Board of Directors decided, together with the members at the Extraordinary General Assembly of October 8^th 2019, to sail an independent course from now on.

“Other major European clubs already preceded us, such as the Italian Propeller Clubs with 24 ports and 1,400 members, Basel and Geneve with 600 members”, Mark Scheerlinck continues. “More recently, Liverpool also became an independent maritime club.” 

European cooperation

Meanwhile, the independent European Propeller Clubs are exchanging views and  contemplate on how to cooperate. A successful mission on October 10^th to the Annual Convention of the Italian Propeller Clubs, together with the Propeller Club of Geneva, laid the basis for more European cooperation and exchanges between clubs. More than 2,000 maritime professionals unite that way. Other maritime clubs already showed interest. Joint missions to other ports are currently being planned.

The Propeller Club Port of Antwerp is rejuvenating: a new website, app and member administration support the renewal. A new logo completes the operation.