What is SAIMENA?

SAIMENA is the South African Institute of Marine of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects, the only technical society in South Africa dedicated to marine engineers and naval architects. It was founded in 1975 by the former members of the overseas branches, in Cape Town and Durban, of the Institute of Marine Engineers, London. These branches were formed in the 1950s. In 1968, the S.A. Government promulgated the Professional Engineers Act, which states that only South African Technical Societies would be recognised under this Act. Thus, in 1975, SAIMENA was founded to represent South African Marine Engineers and Naval Architects. It now has branches in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, with a total membership of 400. Its members are fom all sections of the industry, seagoing engineers, ship repairers, shipbuilders, marine paints,classification societies, salvage associations, the S.A.Navy, naval architects, marine consultants etc. - in fact, people who live by the marine industry.

SAIMENA has 3 Grades of Membership: Associate, Member, and Fellow, to become a Fellow it is necessary to register with the Engineering Council of South Africa, the mouthpiece of all the engineering disciplines in South Africa. The joining fee for SAIMENA is R200 and annual fee R100.(2011)

Branches hold monthly General Meetings for the presentation of Technical Papers by both local and overseas speakers. Subjects of such papers cover the technical development of marine equipment, both in the engine room and on deck. A quarterly magazine is published, entitled "The Two Oceans " and mailed to all members. The official Yearbook of SAIMENA, entitled "Shipyear", is published annually for all members and is circulated internationally to the marine fraternity. Regular social activities are also persued, quarterly lunches, golf days, cricket matches, and annual dinners etc.

Why you should join

If you are a rugby afficionado, you join a rugby club or sports club, where you meet and associate with rugby enthusiasts to discuss and promote the game. If you are in the marine industry, SAIMENA provides a similar opportunity to promote your marine environment. You meet with the South African Marine Industry in all its facets.

On joining, you receive a frameable certificate, stating the date of joining and grade of membership. This is intended to be displayed in your cabin at sea or your place of business ashore. It enables any person associating with you to know, immediately, that you are a marine engineer. As students progress in their chosen careers in marine engineering, they eventually gain certificates of competency, which give them access to the Engineering Council of South Africa, as an Engineer in Training, Prof. Certificated Engineer, Prof. Technologist and Pr. Eng. etc.

SAIMENA has an Education Bursary Fund to assist marine engineers who wish to take higher education and university degrees etc., they are corresponding members with the Royal Institute of Naval Architects in the U.K. and are affiliated with the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology of London..

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