Indian National Shipowners' Association Information

The Indian National Shipowners' Association (INSA) was incorporated on December 2nd, 1929. At the time of inception, INSA was known as "Indian National Steamship Owners' Association". INSA was formed by the representatives of Indian Shipowners to deal with the problems affecting the growth and development of Indian Mercantile Marine, eversince the first Indian vessel, s.s.Loyalty sailed from the Indian shores then a decade ago on 5th April 1919. INSA owes its origin to the endeavors of Walchand Hirachand the then Chairman of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Limited and M. A. Master, General Manager of the company. Walchand Hirachand was the first President of INSA and held this position for 19 consecutive years. At the time of formation of INSA there were seven company members and four individual members, amounting to a total gross registered tonnage of 84,000 tonnes. After independence INSA attained a new importance with the Government of India recognizing it as the representative body of Indian shipowners, and giving it due representation on official and public bodies connected with merchant shipping. On 10th September 1979, INSA was registered as a non-profit making company under sec. 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. Today, INSA has 36 members with a combined gross registered tonnage of 9.02 million tonnes, which represents 90% of the total Indian tonnage.