MARITIME Industry Australia celebrated 120 years as a peak maritime and shipping industry group on Tuesday night (25 June) with a function at the Park Hyatt in Melbourne.

The first chair of the association (which has undergone name changes), Mr W. T. Appleton of Huddart, Parker & Co, outlined the aims at the first meeting in 1899 which was “to watch over and protect the general interests of shipping; to collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting shipping interests in the colonies; and to establish a code of practice whereby the transactions of business between owners, shippers and consignees may be simplified and facilitated”.

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Current chairman David Parmeter spoke of the association’s role today.

“The work of the Association remains of paramount importance to our Members, just as it was some 120 years ago when such work first began,” Mr Parmeter said.

“MIAL is still the voice, the advocate and the thought leader of our maritime nation,” he said.

Mr Parmeter said they were delighted to mark their anniversary on “the auspicious occasion on International Day of the Seafarer – a day MIAL holds in great esteem”.