About the NSOCC

The annual North Sea Operators’ Claims Conference Session draws together Shipowners, P&I clubs, marine surveyors, shipping lawyers and other experts, all with an interest in marine insurance claims matters, operating on the North Sea, the Baltic or Irish Sea.

At this friendly, welcoming event, competition is set aside with the aim of sharing ideas and experience and learning from each other in order to improve our ability to manage claims more effectively.

The two-day conference is packed with informative presentations and discussions.

There are also ample opportunities to talk to fellow members more informally, to get to know people with similar interests and to explore the culture of the host country.

Photos: Sanchez-Marin/NSOCC

Conference aims and scope

The primary aim of the NSOCC is to provide an annual forum for North Sea, Baltic and Irish Sea operators to discuss matters of common interest:

"In order to further elaborate our first thumb rules, we hereby, on request of the previous meeting, convene representatives of shipping companies employed in short sea services to the North Sea area. As our first meeting only included Norwegian and Swedish shipping companies we are very happy to note the interest met from shipping companies in Denmark and United Kingdom during the past summer ... Our first objective is to establish such procedures as are necessary for mastering the huge quantities of trailers passing through sea terminals and make it possible to efficiently process claims in connection therewith. For such claims processing a uniform document and uniform signs for description of damage would be valuable. In the future there are other objectives of common interest such as securing of cargo within articles of transport and avoidance of pilferage." Max Slotte, 21.9.1976

The NSOCC tackles a wide range of industry issues with the general focus on claims matters, for example:

Standard trading conditions (North Sea Standard Conditions of Carriage)
Cargo claims
Passenger claims
Ship design/building claims
Navigation Handling practice for hazardous goods (Blue Card and the Yellow Card).

The NSOCC develops and promotes best practice relating to claims and the event has a strong educational element through the presentation of papers by delegates and other qualified speakers.

Who can attend?

This is principally an event by invitation for Shipowners operating a service on the North Sea, the Baltic or Irish Sea.

Other attendees provide specialist support for our sector, including insurance, legal and surveying expertise.

All delegates are required to be active in our business sector and attendance is by invitation.

A warm welcome is also extended to past delegates who have retired from active business.

Benefits

NSOCC attendees are able to:

Discuss and develop best practices
Share experience
Meet other people operating in our sector
Gain CPD points
Visit different countries and experience different cultures

Cost

For each yearly Session the NSOCC 's hosts and committee members volunteer their time to organise the event.

This is a 'not for profit' conference and we try to limit attendance costs. The cost usually covers administration (the Service Fee collected for NSOCC executives organising and booking on behalf of the Delegates), accommodation (if required), dine and wine, the conference itself and a local tour.

Sponsorship

In addition to the valued commitment of our conference host, the NSOCC is also supported by kind member organisations which sponsor elements of the programme. The NSOCC committee would like to thank them all for their generosity.

Next Session

The 47^th Session will take place in Hamburg on September 29/30 or October 6/7, 2025 hosted by SKULD Germany GmbH and Thomas Bjørn Larsen, Senior Vice President, Head of SKULD Hamburg

NSOCC History

The North Sea Operators' Claims Conference has its origins in a meeting of a number of Scandinavian shipping lines and some of their insurers in Kungalv, Sweden, on 30 March 1976. The architect of the conference, and founder member, was Max Slotte, a lawyer working, in those days, for Tor Line. The conference was his brainchild and the other founder members were enrolled having been approached by Max Slotte.

This first meeting was called to try to establish rules for the settlement of claims in respect of 'Articles of Transport' and to attempt to introduce uniformity in documentation between all operators on the North Sea, thus aiding and simplifying both insurance contracts and claims handling.

The Lines represented at this first meeting were: The Brostrom Group, Tor Line AB, Svea Line (Goteborg) AB, Roto Line/Wallhamn AB, Fred Olsen & Co and the Swedish Club.

From this first meeting in March 1976 also took place another fundamental gathering in October that year - known as the 0 NSOCC - when additional participants were DFDS A/S, Ellerman Lines Ltd, AB Indemnitas, North Sea Ferries, Assuranceforeningen Gard, Assuranceforeningen Skuld and Wallhamn AB. A second conference followed in September 1977 - the First Session or 1 NSOCC - and the North Sea Operators' Claims Conference has taken place annually since, with the number of members growing gradually to around 37 today.

For a more in depth history and to view a list of conferences, locations, hosts and highlights view our Conference Timeline:

Explore the NSOCC timeline

Chairman's Reception @ Restaurant Wolf, Amsterdam. October 8^th, 2024
Chairman Thomas Bjørn Larsen 2004-2012 - right
Chairman Andy Macrow 2013-2018 - left
Chairman Rune Dybedal since 2019 - center
photo taken by Nils Heijboer with Rune Dybedal's smartphone.
Editor: Andres Sanchez-Marin.