SAN DIEGO, CA – September 25rd 2026 – The International Propeller Club and the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the 99th Anniversary International Propeller Club Convention, taking place September 22nd – 24th in San Diego, California. The partnership will strengthen collaboration around the Adopt a Ship Program, connecting students with maritime professionals and expanding awareness of careers across the maritime industry.
The partnership brings together two organizations with a shared commitment to maritime education and workforce development. Through Adopt a Ship, participating classrooms connect with seafarers and learn about life at sea, maritime operations, global commerce, and the people who keep the maritime industry moving. The program gives students firsthand exposure to maritime careers and an industry they might not otherwise discover.
“By partnering with NAMEPA on this vital program, the International Propeller Club is renewing its involvement in Adopt a Ship, which dates back to the program’s earliest days,” said Propeller Club President Costis Frangoulis. “With more than 70 ports, our chapters are uniquely positioned to expand the program’s reach and accelerate its growth.”
The MOU will support collaboration between the organizations’ networks and resources, helping encourage participation from educators and maritime professionals, and expand opportunities for students to engage directly with the industry. Students can explore shipboard and shoreside careers, including opportunities in navigation, engineering, logistics, port operations, environmental protection, technology, and other important fields.
“NAMEPA is delighted to be partnering on Adopt a Ship with the International Propeller Club, with whom we share common goals around workforce development and education,” stated Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and CEO of NAMEPA. “Through this association, we can amplify the impact of the program in getting more students entering our industry. Further, the program’s structure and engagement with mariners at sea will serve to increase a mariner’s connection with others.”
The MOU signing takes place as maritime leaders gather in San Diego for the International Propeller Club’s convention, creating an opportunity to formalize the organizations’ shared commitment to supporting the maritime industry. With this partnership, the International Propeller Club and NAMEPA are building on the longstanding history of the Adopt a Ship Program to create more opportunities for students to connect with the maritime industry and learn about the people and careers that make it possible.
To learn more about NAMEPA’s Adopt a Ship program and to become a part of it, please visit https://namepa.net/adopt-a-ship/
Media Contact: Rachel McCloskey, Chief Operating Officer, NAMEPA (r.mccloskey@namepa.net)
About North American Marine Environment Protection Association
The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is a maritime industry-led organization preserving the marine environment by promoting resilient maritime industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. For more information www.namepa.net
About the International Propeller Club
The Propeller Club was conceived in 1922 as an ever-growing group of maritime professionals met informally each day over lunch to discuss issues of the industry. As the group became too large for casual conversation, speakers began to be invited to address the group. Growth continued, and in January of 1923 the “Propeller Club of the Port of New York” was formed, with thirty-three in attendance choosing the name and scheduling regular meetings.
News of the club spread to other port cities, and Propeller Clubs were formed in Boston, New Orleans, and at Yale University. On November 7, 1927, The Propeller Club of the United States as a national and international organization was formed, with individual member clubs designated as “Ports.” Ports followed in Tampa, Seattle, Jacksonville and Miami. The first overseas Propeller Club Port was formed in Hamburg, Germany, in 1932, by Americans engaged in the maritime business there.
The membership comprises a cross section of the maritime industry throughout the United States and in many cities overseas. The Propeller Club is particularly well equipped to promote, further and support the merchant marine. “Propeller” in the name refers to the propulsion of ships and is symbolic of the driving force required to communicate the need for an adequate, privately-owned merchant marine for both overseas and domestic commerce.
Today, the International Propeller Club is an international business network dedicated to the promotion of the maritime industry, commerce and global trade. There are more than 70 Ports in maritime locations around the world, including almost 30 in foreign cities.
Featured Image: Signing of the MOU during the Convention in San Diego
L to R: Costis Frangoulis- President, International Propeller Club and Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and CEO for NAMEPA