Our History
Formed in 1884, we were among the first and remain one of the world’s most successful P&I clubs. We are proud of our heritage, which is built on challenging the way we do things, continuously improving and adapting to meet changing needs.
1884
A group of shipowners set up Standard Steamship Owners’ Protection and Indemnity Association Ltd and appoint Charles Taylor, a UK coal merchant, as manager.
1899
The club enters into a pooling agreement with five other clubs, the forerunner of today’s International Group of P&I Clubs Pooling Agreement.
1970
The club’s holding company, The Standard Club Ltd, is incorporated in Bermuda and licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority.
1971
Standard London Club starts underwriting small craft.
1976
The club starts insuring vessels operating in the offshore oil and gas sector
1989
We establish a loss prevention department and safety and loss advisory committee, a first in the P&I sector.
1993
On a recommendation from the safety and loss advisory committee, the loss prevention department starts auditing our members’ management systems to ‘minimum operation standards’, five years before the ISM Code was formally adopted.
1996
The club opens its Piraeus office in Greece, reflecting the country’s importance in international shipping.
1997
The Standard Club Asia Ltd becomes the first full-service P&I facility in Singapore to serve the increasingly dominant Asian shipping industry.
2000
Standard Europe and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire form the TS21 joint venture to provide hull and P&I insurance in Japan, a very important shipping market.
2009
The loss prevention department launches member risk reviews for all new members on entry, another first for the P&I sector.
2012
Standard Asia opens its Hong Kong branch.
2015
Standard Asia and Singapore Shipping Association establish the Singapore War Risks Mutual to meet market demand.
2017
Standard Club Offshore Advisory Committee formed to support the club’s growing offshore energy sector membership.
2018
Standard Asia enters a co-operation agreement with Ping An Property & Casualty Insurance Company to provide P&I insurance in China.
2019
The Strike Club, founded in 1957 and the largest mutual provider of marine delay insurance, becomes part of Standard Club − the club’s new Strike & Delay Class is launched the following year. The Standard Club Ireland DAC opens for EU business in Dublin and The Standard Club UK moves to The Minster Building in London.
2020
Standard Club staff start transferring from Charles Taylor to in-house, with the club due to become self-managed by August 2021.
2021
The club officially brings core management operations in-house as of 20 August.
Charles Taylor will remain a critical partner of the club, and vice versa.