Yesterday and today, facts and vision

The Malta International Shipowners Association (MISA) is a voluntary non-profit organisation established by a public deed in 2004.  It is a main objective of MISA, declared in its statute, to foster and protect the interests of the association members, both nationally and internationally, while promoting the interests of the Malta international shipping industry and further the reputation of the Malta flag.

MISA was the initiative of a number of well known reputable and forward-looking owners of Malta registered ships, led by shipowners Nikolaos Pappadakis and John Lyras. This was in response to a wide conviction that it was essential for owners of Maltese-flag ships to have their own body that could effectively represent their views and interests at national, regional and international levels.  The growth of the Malta international ship register to one of the largest flags in the world had evolved an imperative need among owners themselves for a national association international in nature.

The first general meeting in 2005 elected seven shipowners to the executive committee. Nikolaos Pappadakis was elected the first president serving until his retirement in 2014. The new executive committee also appointed Joseph Curmi as the first general secretary. As a senior civil servant, Curmi had kick-started the Malta International Ship Register and later served for several years as the managing director of the national shipping line.

Membership with MISA is open to companies, registered owners or bareboat charterers of Maltese ships. It is complimentary to registration under the Malta flag and clearly demonstrates a genuine link with Malta that goes well beyond economic or operational necessity.

Current membership represents a substantial amount of tonnage of various types of ships operated by reputable owners of high stature from several countries. It is a national association which is international in nature.

On formation, MISA immediately sought and attained corporate membership of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations. True to its dual international and national calling, MISA today is also an associate member of the International Chamber of Shipping and, corporate member of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Malta Maritime Forum and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Malta Branch), and has a close relationship with the Malta Chamber of SMEs and the Malta Maritime Law Association.